Shooting in Vail, CO: PTSD to Blame?

According to the Associated Press, a gunman opened fire in a bar located in Vail, CO Saturday evening, killing one and injuring three others.

Witnesses say that a man was arguing with customers in the Sandbar Sports Grill in Vail at approximately 7:30 pm Saturday and was being escorted out of the building when he reached for a gun and started shooting. It appears that during the ruckus, 63-year-old Richard Moreau re-entered the bar and fired off several more shots as people scattered. He was apprehended shortly thereafter and remains in custody.

A NH native, Moreau is said to be a longtime resident of the Colorado resort town. A 2006 interview by the Vail Daily states that Moreau claimed to be a veteran suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), having served two tours in war-torn VietNam.

Statistics show that as we head towards the holiday season, depression can set in more so than other times of the year. Shorter days, cooler temperatures keeping people indoors, higher heating costs, worry about paying holiday bills - all can take their toll on even the most cheerful among us. Add in the current economic situation, foreclosures on every city street, and an unemployment rate in double digits and it's not hard to see why depression is affecting so many.

Are we diligent enough in identifying those that need help? More importantly, are we providing the help they need once identified?

Thirteen people were killed at Ft Hood last week when Maj Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, allegedly opened fire on the base, wounding an additional three dozen. Hasan is said to be a devoted Muslim who was struggling with issues surrounding his upcoming deployment to the Middle East. His conflicted emotions had apparently been brought before Army officials on more than one occasion as Maj Hasan attempted to gain release from the Army, which was denied. Instead, they sent him to a post where he was required to counsel soldiers returning from combat, soldiers fighting in a war that Hasan not only didn't believe in, but openly protested.

There is no doubt that Nidal Malik Hasan is responsible for the horrors that occurred in Ft Hood, but could it have been prevented? Did the Army do the right thing, by him as well as the soldiers he treated?

Depression, PTSD and other mental/emotional disorders are treatable, but unlikely to be cured. The best we can do is be watchful of warning signs and encourage those afflicted to seek help, to keep talking until someone listens.

Source:
http://www.ap.org/