Highland Park and Knives?

[dsutton24]

I looked around for the proper place to post this, if I've miscalculated you have my sincere apologies...

Everyone has undoubtedly read and heard a lot of coverage of the shooting in Highland Park Illinois this past weekend. It was truly a horrible thing, and should never have happened. Period.

What I'm curious about is an unrelated issue that the newsies can't let go. Police responded to a call to the family home in 2019 and confiscated nineteen knives. For some reason there are a lot of knowing winks and nods... Geeze, the guy had nineteen knives! What kind of nutjob has nineteen knives?

Illinois has a lot of restrictive laws about firearm ownership, and a lot of counties and municipalities have more severe limitations than the state laws. There are some cities that have blade length restrictions, there's a (tiny) north suburb town that limits concealed knives to 2 1/2". But generally speaking, knives are legal for anyone 18 years and older. Illinois even allows you to carry a switchblade if you have a valid Firearm Owner's ID.

And it's important to note that Highland Park ain't Chicago.

I tried, briefly, to research Highland Park-specific knife laws, but the news overwhelms any reasonable search efforts.

I'm sure I had more than nineteen knives at age 19. I've spent most of my life in downstate Illinois. To give you an idea how old I am, I carried a Buck 110 in a belt sheath throughout high school. I never got hassled by teachers or administrators. Heck, for a while I carried both a 110 and a 112.

This is the question I have: Why are the news people so obsessed by this mutt's knife collection?

My guess is that this goul is so very odd, and they've got to have something to talk about. You've got to fill a lot of air time with a limited amount of actual news. Maybe it's pure laziness.

It's not my intent to stir up any great debate on the moral ills of today. It always seemed to me that knife collecting was a harmless endeavor, the occasional clumsy self-inflicted flesh wound excepted. But, it's possible to be so absorbed in a pursuit that you can be unaware of how big a dork you truly are. Should I be more aware that knife collections may be a danger signal to the world at large?

 

[killgar]

This is the question I have: Why are the news people so obsessed by this mutt's knife collection?

My guess is that this goul is so very odd, and they've got to have something to talk about. You've got to fill a lot of air time with a limited amount of actual news. Maybe it's pure laziness.

I think you answered your own question.

My answer- Because the news media are a bunch of scum who look for any way to shock and frighten the public, and sensationalize a story.

The fact that this loser did what he did, how he did it, and that he had planned to do more, made his entire life fair game, and fodder for the media. It's only natural that they will focus on, and magnify, any detail of his life that might seem odd, or frightening to the general public. And the fact that "his" knives were "confiscated" by law enforcement after he allegedly made threats of violence only increases the significance of him having so many knives in the eyes and minds of the media, and the public.

I heard the knives belonged to his father, and that they were not "confiscated" by the cops, but instead given back to his father. But who knows what the truth is when the story is being told by the lying news media.

But, it's possible to be so absorbed in a pursuit that you can be unaware of how big a dork you truly are. Should I be more aware that knife collections may be a danger signal to the world at large?

I've long recognized that possessing several knives, other than kitchen knives, or any assortment of weapons, would be looked upon with fear and suspicion by many people. And I've long recognized that if I were ever a target of the news media, that they would seek out, and use any aspect of my life to try and portray me in the most negative way possible, because that's what they do. Like for example, calling my interest in knives "a fascination with weapons".

I also know that to a large segment of the general public that "collecting knives" is something associated with psychos and serial killers. This is one reason why I never discuss my interest in knives with people unless I know them well, and have some idea regarding their attitude towards knives. And even then I ease into it. I would never start out sharing either my interest in knives, or how many I have.

And I'm also very careful about what I share and reveal about myself online. You won't see me on Facebook or Instagram showing off my knife collection. In fact, you won't see me there period. I've been on this forum for almost 20 years now, and I've never once posted my real name, or my photo. Same goes for the rest of my internet activity. I always make an effort to remain anonymous online. But that's more about me, and not about any concerns I have regarding the publics perceptions about people owning or collecting knives.

 

[Wild Willie]

I've thought about this lately as well. Whenever I watch forensic files, and they list the stuff they found in the home if a serial killer, I think: "Holy **** luckily I've never been suspected in a homicide, if they searched this place it would be over."

 

[mauser9]

Kid looked like a freak for sure. Wonder what was in this azzhole's mind? Sure seems like a lot more crazies out there these days compared to 50 years back. Probably had a shitty upbringing anyway.

 

[toker]

Imagine if a reporter came to the house of the average BF member? It would be described as an arsenal that could arm a small country.

 

[tinfoil hat timmy]

they're going to lump people with multiple knives in with those ''crazy mass shooters''.

just you wait.


I cant wait until they repeal the Regan era machine gun ban.

 

[Vlade]

Kid looked like a freak for sure. Wonder what was in this azzhole's mind? Sure seems like a lot more crazies out there these days compared to 50 years back. Probably had a shitty upbringing anyway.

Think of the crap hole this world will look like in fifty years. I guess this scumbag is just pure evil. No gun law can stop this.
there's no fix for evilness except for the death penalty.

 

[ferider]

OP, I was wondering about this, too.

“A family member reported that Crimo said he was going to kill everyone and Crimo had a collection of knives,” Covelli said. “The police responded to his residence. The police removed 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from Crimo’s home.”

I wonder if they removed the kitchen knives as well ? Same police that hung out for more than an hour in the school's corridor and tasered a parent outside, I assume.

Don't get me wrong, Crimo was evil.

 

[gentleman_edc]

Why the obsession? It's our obsession with mass shootings. My take on it is that he was a troubled soul that needed help and didn't get it in time.

My guess is that everyone reading this is thinking "only 16 knives, I have that many lying around my dresser". And to be honest, gun collectors are worse. And think of the headlines. "John Doe had 5 guns and 1000 rounds of ammo". Gee, an afternoon at the shotgun range goes through 50. But it isn't "normal" for the general population. People laugh at 50 pairs of shoes. And if someone said they had 20 pocket knives and a hunting knife, that probably wouldn't keep the TV viewer's attention.

When a teen starts collecting guns and knives and showing signs of social maladjustment (think any teenager), you do start to worry. I would if he was my son. Though I'm not sure what you can do about it.

 

[Vlade]

Why the obsession? It's our obsession with mass shootings. My take on it is that he was a troubled soul that needed help and didn't get it in time.

My guess is that everyone reading this is thinking "only 16 knives, I have that many lying around my dresser". And to be honest, gun collectors are worse. And think of the headlines. "John Doe had 5 guns and 1000 rounds of ammo". Gee, an afternoon at the shotgun range goes through 50. But it isn't "normal" for the general population. People laugh at 50 pairs of shoes. And if someone said they had 20 pocket knives and a hunting knife, that probably wouldn't keep the TV viewer's attention.

When a teen starts collecting guns and knives and showing signs of social maladjustment (think any teenager), you do start to worry. I would if he was my son. Though I'm not sure what you can do about it.

That's the difference. Parenting. I had guns and knives at his age . But my father taught me to respect weapons. And we spent a lot of time talking about this. And I have fond memories of the time we spent in the woods . He was a great man. Proud vet who fought for his country in 1941-1945. I'll never forget what he taught me. Where was this kids dad? I still hear his words. 20 years after he passed on. I guess that's the difference? I brought my son up the same way. He's a successful son. I think it played a role in his career of becoming a marine. We have a family of servicemen. We all served. Where's was this kids folks?

 

[EngrSorenson]

When a teen starts collecting guns and knives and showing signs of social maladjustment (think any teenager), you do start to worry. I would if he was my son. Though I'm not sure what you can do about it.

It’s hard when our hobby is based in tools that can hurt people. I buy knives because I like them. Right now probably some idiot punk kid’s buying one because it looks cool and stabby, dreaming of the day he gets to use it in a soldier-of-fortune duel to the death.

The only thing you can do is seek help if it’s your kid and you see red flags; and there’s no shame in needing help or seeking it.