Cadet charged in Texas City police academy shooting that injured 3

[HCM]

I went to FLETC Artesia twice. Once for a BIA bridge class, and for FITP. Both times I drove marked unit from Nebraska.
I knew I'd have to turn in weapons (traveled with issued AR15 and 870), but no one said I'd have to turn in all ammo as well....used a hand truck to get it all out of my trunk, and "owned" a corner of the armory at the front gate. Second trip I wisely purged my trunk prior to trip.

Both times, whenever I left/returned to campus, I checked in/out a POW. At FITP, we had a number of agents wanting to arm up when leaving for the weekend, and there were some hoops to jump through getting their pistols out of the class armory. Technically, BIA policy was that you did not drive a marked unit unarmed, which to me is just plain common sense, but I didn't like being unarmed anyway. I had family in Carlsbad, and was free to roam Carlsbad > Roswell, but boss wouldn't let me burn agency gas to ABQ.

At FITP, we lost 2-3 that didn't make qual the 1st day, but were good after that. The bridge class was pure classroom.

My only heartburn with rules was the no-liquor rule. I'm just not a beer or wine guy, and after being middle-aged, a bourbon+coke along with a pipe or cigar is a damn fine way to wind down of an evening. Not saying that a small bottle of such may have been procured in town and been locked in a suitcase in the dorm room. Not saying any such thing at all.

The no liquor rule must be an Artesia thing as it is not in place at GLYNCO or Charleston SC.

I after a shooting (interrupted crime in progress) involving an inservice class, Charleston (and I believe Glynco) now allow in-service students to keep their guns in individual gun lockers at the gate house to facilitate carrying off base.

No go for basic students of course.

We lost 3 from my FLETC FITP day one and none after that. It was at FLETC cheltenham which is a “day only” campus that mostly does inservice driving and shooting for DC based FED LE so no dorms, no cafeteria and no checking weapons.

[Chuck Whitlock]

We had one female sent home day one at my initial FITP back in 2000. She was not even close. She stood on the firing line as they scored and protested that she was there to learn how to shoot better. The instructors pointed out that this was an instructing class for folks that already can shoot, not a basic course. Sooo, she was from a field office in HAWAII. Had flown like 20 hours to get to Georgia, and was out of the class by lunch on day one and had to fly back home. Apparently, her SAC was called and asked why they would send her to FITP to begin with. The rest of the class passed. We had INS, BP, Postal Inspectors, Mint Police, USMS, an ATF guy (even one guy from an agency that shall not be named/dosen't exist)... it was a good mix, and a great way to see how all the other agencies do it a little different than we did. Mint Police guy of SanFran won Top Gun with his 226.

What is this no booze rule bullshit? They sell beer and wine at the Fletc Express store, and Booze is sold at the G bar. God knows every Friday at 4:30 there was some dormitory choir practice of the bourbon variety. I guess Artisia is different than Georgia. Only rule for us was, keep the noise down so FLETC Five-0 did not get called on you.

(And POWs at fletc? Totally against the rules... totally. Hypothetically, in this movie I saw, about 2/3rds of the FI staff would be in violation....in this movie... but never in real life.)

The no liquor rule must be an Artesia thing as it is not in place at GLYNCO or Charleston SC.

I after a shooting (interrupted crime in progress) involving an inservice class, Charleston (and I believe Glynco) now allow in-service students to keep their guns in individual gun lockers at the gate house to facilitate carrying off base.

No go for basic students of course.

We lost 3 from my FLETC FITP day one and none after that. It was at FLETC cheltenham which is a “day only” campus that mostly does inservice driving and shooting for DC based FED LE so no dorms, no cafeteria and no checking weapons.

I scored low 80's v. usually qualifying in the high 90's. Mostly due to back home having make believe timers and make believe barricades.

No weapons on-campus, but already sworn/in-service personnel could check them out/in at the front gate when leaving/returning to campus. Scuttlebutt was a couple of female (not that it matters) BP instructors had a couple of "desk-pop" incidents in their offices, so in true .gov fashion everyone gets the ban hammer instead of disciplining the problem child(ren). Obviously no-go for basics.

Beer/wine on campus only, and no spirits sold at the base watering hole. Again, BIA scuttlebutt was the ban on liquor/spirits involved "drunken Indians", as Artesia is home to BIA's basic academy. See above re: ban hammer.

My FITP class had a good mix as well. 3 FAM's, one former FAM who worked DHHS OIG, some HSI guys, some BIA/Tribal, an IRS OIG guy, another from DLA, I think, plus a few local cops from CA. Middle of week two, a few of us were uttering phrases like, " I never thought I'd ever say this, but I'm tired of shooting."

My shooting was middle of the road, but my knowledge base was top of the class. while prepping for final exam, FI says, "Listen up...We didn't go over this, but what is the operating principle of the MP5?" I holler out "Delayed roller locking bolt" and DLA guy next to me says. "How in the fuck do you know that?" Good times.

[Rex G]

Charges upped to Agg Assault, now. It seems the shooting is alleged to have been intentional, with the perp being too early on the trigger.