Monday, October 8, 2007

I'm Not Happy About the Headline

But how many events like this do you have to have before someone starts to question the deinstitutionalization policy? From the October 7, 2007 New York Daily News:
A shirtless madman wielding stolen knives went on a bloody midtown rampage yesterday - stabbing a restaurant worker and a psychologist walking her dog before being shot by an off-duty cop, authorities said.

Deranged Lee Coleman stood wild-eyed over the dog-walker, methodically plunging a knife into her body and face over and over - even pausing to change knives as the woman lay in a pool of blood, screaming for help.

The crazed mental patient got into several confrontations while running up Second Ave. near 35th St. before he took aim at Susan Barron, 67, who was walking to church to have her dog blessed, sources said.

Barron, who lives in the neighborhood, was stabbed at least 10 times in the face, neck, arms and abdomen, leaving her badly mutilated, witnesses said. She was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition.

"He was chopping down on her," said Andrew Fink, 29, who was getting into a cab when the attack took place. "I saw him hit her at least 10 times. She was screaming and crawling along the street and people were running away.

"It looked like she was trying to crawl into the intersection. She was crying out in pain. He looked very intent. He was systematically bringing the weapon down on her."

Police said Coleman, 38, has a history of mental illness and has been in and out of psychiatric clinics. He was off his medication, sources said.

He has prior arrests in Georgia in 2001 for child abandonment, assault, theft and receiving stolen property. He was also arrested in 2004 in New Jersey, but police were unclear on the charges.
And in case you wonder if New York City needs "knife control"--he stole the knives from a restaurant, attacking a chef that tried to stop him.

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