OMG! Did you hear about this on the news?

Such a tragedy.. makes me so sad to read about it.. the poor victim and his family!

Members of my family know the McLean family, and...there are just no words to describe what a tragedy this is.

The accused was living in Edmonton, but apparently boarded the bus just before Portage la Prairie...

Tim lived in Winnipeg, but was heading home from Edmonton, because every year he would work the Festival/Exhibitions in Alberta for the summer. He had just finished working for the Edmonton Ex (previously Klondike Days). His mom was in Alaska (on a cruise) at the time, and from what I have heard, she actually heard the rumors that it was him from a reporter. She confirmed it with Mr. McLean after the fact. I cannot imagine what they must be going through.

I'm not sure if you have read any more about the actual incident...but...this guy boarded the bus, in my opinion, with the intent to harm someone. You don't just pack around a rambo style knife! He initially sat alone at the front of the bus, but after a short 15 minute break, moved him and his belongings to the back of the bus where Tim was sitting/sleeping. He targetted Tim because he was vulnerable...and being at the back of the bus...I guess it must have been easy for him??

He did more than just behead Tim...when they detained him...they found parts of a nose, part of his mouth and other remnants in his pocket. We have heard he was also partially...gutted.

I know you don't need to know those gory details...but...the police have only charged this man with 2nd degree murder. We believe he should have been charged with 1st degree murder...but...we suspect with his recent indications of mental illness...he sentence will end up being light regardless. Apparently yesterday, it was reported that the suspect uttered few words in court, except once...and that was to say "Please kill me".

I just can't quite find the words, though I'm sure I don't have to, to express my family's and my own, frustration at the whole incident.

Thank goodness for the gentleman who assisted in getting the rest of the passengers off of the bus.

Ok, so I couldn't even finish reading the first post, cuz it freaked me out too much. I take the train to and from work every day and since it's over an hour ride, I am sleeping like 90% of the time. I mostly sit next to my mom, since we both work at the Univ, but when I don't, I could get my head chopped off Holy shit. that's damn scary.

WOW what is this world coming to??

people think flying is dangerous. some feel that driving in are car, youre more succeptable to a car accident. Public transportation in Chi is ALWAYS breakign down or goign off tracks and now peopel cant even drive on well known bus across country.

my heart goes out to those passangers who had to witness that aweful sight

I know it's really scary for bus, train, plane users to think that this could happen to them, but I think we have to keep in mind that something this strange could obviously have happened anywhere (movie theater, in line at the grocery store, etc) and is so rare that there is no reason for people to be worried about their own safety. Although what happened to him is really gruesome, luckily the victim obviously died quite quickly (although not immeidately as he did scream after the first stabbing).

All I can say is...seriously? If this is the way these people want to get their point across, they are just sick. Let a family grieve peacefully. Makes me ill.

From the Winnipeg Free Press, August 7

A group of Winnipeggers is planning a counter-rally to ensure that Tim McLean has a peaceful and respectful funeral service Saturday afternoon.

Jim Cotton, a resident of Winnipeg Beach with no relation to the McLean family, started a Facebook page this morning asking Winnipeggers to help protect McLean's funeral in the wake of news that a notorious fundamentalist church in Kansas is planning to protest the service.

"We want to protect the family so they don't come out of the church service and see people shouting obscenities," Cotton said. "I've never met the McLean family. I've just been moved by the whole story."

Earlier this week, the Westboro Baptist Church -- an organization branded hate group known for protesting the funerals of deceased American soldiers -- announced they would picket the funeral of McLean to let Canadians know that the Greyhound bus slaying was God's response to Canadian policies enabling abortion, homosexuality and adultery.

Cotton's group is planning to circle around the seven picketing church members Saturday and pray for the family of Tim McLean.

Two hours after Cotton created the Facebook page, 40 people had already agreed to join him at the funeral.

"I was talking to people on the Internet and said, 'let's get a Facebook page going...let's drown out these seven people,'" he said.

Rodney Taylor, an Ottawa resident, came across the page this morning and wanted to help from the nation's capital.

Taylor phoned Canada Border Services, the Prime Minister's office and Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day, asking them to keep the church group, led by Fred Phelps, out of the country. He also created his own Facebook page asking other outraged Canadians to follow his lead.

"These people are callous, vicious and shouldn't be let into our country," he said. "We have freedom of speech, but they are inciting hate."

Members of the Kansas-based fundamentalist sect had been planning to picket in Canada prior to last week's horrifying bus murder. The group is scheduled to protest the opening night of Toronto playwright Alistair Newton's "The Pastor Phelps Project: a fundamentalist cabaret" which satirizes their leader's fervent anti-gay stance in Toronto tonight.

Tomorrow members will picket outside a performance of "The Laramie Project" -- a play based on the real life murders of two homosexuals in the United States -- in Red Deer, Alberta.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Fred Phelps, refused to say if members of the church have successfully crossed into the country, but said, "if we get blocked at one crossing, we'll try another."

If they are successful, and show at McLean's funeral Saturday, Cotton said he and others will be waiting.

"It's despicable. If we don't do anything, we are saying we accept this garbage in our community," he said.

[email protected]

A fundamentalist church group from the U.S. has announced it plans to picket the funeral of Tim McLean Jr. in Winnipeg, declaring, "God is punishing Canada."

"People are absolutely outraged about it," said Doug Mitchell, a friend of McLean's for about seven years.

Led by pastor Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas issued a release saying they would picket McLean's funeral this weekend.

Phelps' daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said about seven church members are expected to come to Winnipeg. "What we're doing is trying to connect dots," Phelps-Roper told the Winnipeg Sun last night. "We're trying to get you to see that your rebellion against the standards of God, your disobedience to the commandments -- your idols, your false gods, your filthy ways have brought wrath upon your head."

http://http://blog.peta.org/archives/mani_large.php

Now this is a bit much!!