Top Colorado Law Official Shot Dead

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

One of Colorado state's top law enforcement officials was shot and killed at his home Tuesday night, just hours before the governor is scheduled to sign landmark gun control legislation drafted in response to a series of mass shootings. Tom Clements, 58, executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, was shot once at his home in the town of Monument. "I am so sad," Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) wrote in an email sent to state corrections employees early Wednesday morning. "I have never worked with a better person than Tom, and I can't imagine our team without him."

Posted by rcade at 12:43 PM | 35 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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rcade

Joined 2003/04/04
Visited 2013/05/19

Status: editor

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"I am so sad," Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) wrote in an email sent to state corrections employees early Wednesday morning. "I have never worked with a better person than Tom, and I can't imagine our team without him."

That solves it-- Hickenlooper (LOL, name) did it.

#1 | Posted by kamakiri at 2013-03-20 01:08 PM | Reply | Flag:

If only he had owned a gun....

#2 | Posted by northguy3 at 2013-03-20 01:10 PM | Reply | Flag:

If only you'd realize you're not being funny or original.

#3 | Posted by jpw at 2013-03-20 01:12 PM | Reply | Flag:

If only you'd realize you're not being funny or original.

#3 | Posted by jpw

Hit a nerve, did I? Didn't I read somewhere that the only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun?

#4 | Posted by northguy3 at 2013-03-20 01:21 PM | Reply | Flag:

Hammers and knives are more dangerous.

And if he'd had a car or a cigarette he could have really done some damage to the bad guy.

#5 | Posted by Corky at 2013-03-20 01:24 PM | Reply | Flag:

If only they had passed that law sooner.

#6 | Posted by visitor_ at 2013-03-20 01:29 PM | Reply | Flag:

If only criminals cared about laws, they wouldn't be criminals any longer

#7 | Posted by T_Man at 2013-03-20 01:40 PM | Reply | Flag:

Hit a nerve, did I? Didn't I read somewhere that the only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun?

#4 | POSTED BY NORTHGUY3

Yep. And if this had happened 30 seconds later, the bad guy might not have had the a gun at all.

The legislation the CO Governor signed moments later was designed to prevent just this sort of behavior.

And it will work too, just watch.

You are so right, Northguy3!!

#8 | Posted by brilliantbart at 2013-03-20 02:00 PM | Reply | Flag:

The legislation the CO Governor signed moments later was designed to prevent just this sort of behavior

Are you sure he was shot with a gun that would be affected?

#9 | Posted by kanrei at 2013-03-20 02:01 PM | Reply | Flag:

Are you sure he was shot with a gun that would be affected?

#9 | POSTED BY KANREI

I don't know. Was the victim attempting to hurry up and buy/sell the gun he was shot with in order to avoid the background check?

Darn shame if that's the case. Shame indeed.

#10 | Posted by brilliantbart at 2013-03-20 02:13 PM | Reply | Flag:

Never fear though. Gov. Hickenblooper already fixed crime so we're good now.

#11 | Posted by brilliantbart at 2013-03-20 02:14 PM | Reply | Flag:

And it will work too, just watch.

You are so right, Northguy3!!

#8 | Posted by brilliantbart

just like in the rest of the civilized world.

#12 | Posted by northguy3 at 2013-03-20 02:21 PM | Reply | Flag:

When will someone pass a bill that would make it illegal to break a law? That'll stop those murderers.

#13 | Posted by aufpappeln at 2013-03-20 02:27 PM | Reply | Flag:

When will someone pass a bill that would make it illegal to break a law? That'll stop those murderers.

You're so smart! If we didn't have any laws, there wouldn't be any criminals! Utopia is so close, yet so far.....

#14 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2013-03-20 02:39 PM | Reply | Flag:

If only you'd realize you're not being funny or original.
#3 | Posted by jpw

Hit a nerve, did I? Didn't I read somewhere that the only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun?

#4 | Posted by northguy3

No, the law that Hickenlooper signed today would not have prevented it nor will it prevent any other crime like this.

The law only controls law abiding gun owners. Nothing more.

The Colorado Democrats are dumb as posts!

However, Hickenlooper will get moved up in the Democratic party for doing this idiotic thing today. The law will be reversed in a few years [...]

#15 | Posted by RonPaul at 2013-03-20 03:01 PM | Reply | Flag:

Hit a nerve, did I? Didn't I read somewhere that the only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun?#4 | POSTED BY NORTHGUY3 AT 2013-03-20 01:21 PM

I'm not even sure what point it's trying to make.

#16 | Posted by live_or_die at 2013-03-20 03:08 PM | Reply | Flag:

Guns are dangerous. Let's limit the accessories.

Speeding is dangerous. Ban racing stripes.

#17 | Posted by LIVE_OR_DIE at 2013-03-20 03:11 PM | Reply | Flag:

One of Colorado state's top law enforcement officials was shot and killed at his home....

Obviously someone who didn't appreciate his Second Amendment rights being gutted decided to send a message.

#18 | Posted by CalifChris at 2013-03-20 03:24 PM | Reply | Flag:

This seems very inconvenient.. one of the only States that decriminalize marijuana is suddenly responding to a violent attack on legislators.

How very CIA.

#19 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2013-03-20 03:34 PM | Reply | Flag:

If this cop didn't have a home he would be alive today, to many people die in their homes, it time we stand up against the home and demand the banning of homes immediately!

#20 | Posted by yougothurt at 2013-03-20 03:35 PM | Reply | Flag:

If this cop didn't have a home he would be alive today, to many people die in their homes, it time we stand up against the home and demand the banning of homes immediately!
#20 | Posted by yougothurt at 2013-03-20 03:35 PM

How do you keep your vegetables from rooting under your large rock?

#21 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2013-03-20 03:50 PM | Reply | Flag:

How do you keep your vegetables from rooting under your large rock?

Posted by redlightrobot at 2013-03-20 03:50 PM |

You dig a root canal.

Thank you! I'll be here all week. Two shows Saturday.

#22 | Posted by kanrei at 2013-03-20 03:51 PM | Reply | Flag:

Our prisons are infested with powerful, nationwide gangs, e.g. Aryan Brotherhood and the Mexican Mafia, that make millions (maybe billions) of dollars in drug trafficking. Many of their leaders direct operations from their jail cells.

Now if one of these gangs has a beef with the Colorado DOC, what better way to strike and send a message "don't [...] with us" than by taking down the top man. I'm putting my money on this theory. That this murder was more to send a message to the CO D.O.C. than a personal beef with this Director, who by reports seemed to have been an OK guy.

#23 | Posted by babyhuey at 2013-03-20 04:17 PM | Reply | Flag:

Looks like someone applied a Second Amendment remedy to redress their grievances.

I wonder where they got that idea?

#24 | Posted by snoofy at 2013-03-20 05:07 PM | Reply | Flag:

One of Colorado state's top law enforcement officials was shot and killed at his home....

Obviously someone who didn't appreciate his Second Amendment rights being gutted decided to send a message.

#18 | Posted by CalifChris

You think so?

I thought that too, but I didn't think it was obvious.

What's more likely is that it was a convict getting revenge for being locked up.

#25 | Posted by RonPaul at 2013-03-20 05:13 PM | Reply | Flag:

#22 | Posted by kanrei

Well played sir, Very well played...FF

#26 | Posted by boaz at 2013-03-20 07:31 PM | Reply | Flag:

I had the same thought as #'s 23 and 25, not the anti gun nut narrative.

#27 | Posted by Willowby at 2013-03-20 09:58 PM | Reply | Flag:

.... "If only criminals cared about laws, they wouldn't be criminals any longer"

**** there wouldn't be any politicians either!!!

#28 | Posted by AntiCadillac at 2013-03-20 10:05 PM | Reply | Flag:

Hit a nerve, did I?

Nope. One doesn't have to hit a nerve for me to point out their stupidity.

Didn't I read somewhere that the only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun?

No you didn't. Your filters just boil it down to such an absurd statement.

Something only achieved by a hack or an immature man-child could do with a straight face.

#29 | Posted by jpw at 2013-03-20 10:27 PM | Reply | Flag:

So far only post #23 and #25 show any signs of coherent, reasonable, mental faculties.

#30 | Posted by GotTruth at 2013-03-21 12:54 AM | Reply | Flag:

Including post 30?

#31 | Posted by jpw at 2013-03-21 01:01 AM | Reply | Flag:

A crime was committed. Speculation and blame before the facts are ascertained are not constructive. As much as we would like to know everything, it is not the practice of any competent law endorsement agency to say a word about an ongoing investigation. If we are a little mature and a little more patient we will find out as much as the police have found out, in a public trial. Of course if this is ruled an act of terrorism, some federal agency can use the Patriot Act- throw the suspects in an undisclosed location- interrogate with out counsel- execute without trial. Commander Zero has already expanded the provisions of that odious "law" to allow this to happen. Now the question is "Is the a murder or an assassination?"

#32 | Posted by docnjo at 2013-03-21 11:01 AM | Reply | Flag:

A crime was committed. Speculation and blame before the facts are ascertained are not constructive.

You mean like deciding this was a crime?

#33 | Posted by snoofy at 2013-03-21 05:36 PM | Reply | Flag:

Are you trying to be cute or did you miss the point entirely?

#34 | Posted by docnjo at 2013-03-21 07:38 PM | Reply | Flag:

If only he had owned a gun....
#2 | Posted by northguy3

Wait. You have a gun in your hand when you answer the door for the pizza delivery guy?

What's your point?

#35 | Posted by RonPaul at 2013-03-22 08:55 AM | Reply | Flag: