Alcohol and guns don’t mix

Kevin M. McCann and Marine 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman, both 23, were shot and killed while… Kevin M. McCann and Marine 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman, both 23, were shot and killed while tailgating before North Carolina State University’s season opener against Richmond this weekend.

Tony Harrell Johnson, 20, of Raleigh, N.C., and his brother, Timothy Wayne Johnson, 22, an NCSU student, were arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

According to reports, the victims were throwing a football around when a car drove recklessly through a parking lot packed with football fans. A witness said McCann and Harman pulled the driver from his car and beat him, shoving his head in the dirt.

The man then left in his car and vowed revenge. The sad part is, he would later have it.

When the alleged assailant returned with his brother, he asked bystanders where he could find McCann and Harman and was quoted as saying he had “a .38 Smith ‘ Wesson for them.” Witnesses said the two young men got out of the car and walked up to a small group of tailgaters.

Jason Seaton, 32, was standing near the incident and described hearing what sounded like a series of bottle rockets.

One of the victims was wounded in the face and was pronounced dead at the scene. The other had wounds in the upper torso and died at the hospital.

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said he suspected alcohol consumption contributed to the motive behind the shooting.

Alcohol and firearms are a deadly combination. This is far from the first example of guns and alcohol, and it won’t be the last. Are we ever going to learn?

The Pitt campus had its own shooting incident over the weekend. Matthew Napper was shot on Atwood Street, while allegedly trying to diffuse an altercation. Fortunately, Napper will escape with his life.

Can you imagine an incident like this happening at a Pitt tailgate?

I can.

But these types of situations can easily be prevented. It starts with understanding that sometimes it’s OK to just walk away. There’s nothing more annoying (or dangerous) than a hot head with a big ego who thinks he’s ready to enter an Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The victims from N.C. State thought they’d teach a reckless driver a lesson by pulling him from his vehicle and shoving his face in the dirt. What they should have done was notify the police and let them handle it. One quick field sobriety test probably would have given that reckless driver a D.U.I. and a day in jail.

And — when you’re out partying on the streets of Any Campus, USA — don’t go looking for trouble. Nine times out of 10, violent crimes occurred because one or all of the people involved was drunk and looking for trouble. Most people are out there just trying to have a good time, but there’s always at least one person at every party who has had six too many shots and suddenly thinks he’s tough guy of the year.

Tailgating is a time when people can let loose and have a good time, while showing support for their team. But in most cases, “let loose” is synonymous with get wasted.

A tailgate is one of the few public places where it is acceptable to get trashed, but regardless of how much you drink, you still have to be able to control yourself. We all have to take responsibility for our own actions and know how to handle ourselves when put in precarious situations.

If someone throws an errant pass that accidentally comes your way, don’t curse at the person and get in his or her face, just hand over the ball. Or if you see something you think might be illegal or is putting other tailgaters in danger, notify security or the police — that’s what they’re there for.

Don’t be naive and tell yourself that what happened at N.C. State could never happen here — just pray that it doesn’t.

The N.C. State shootings will have administrators at universities across the country examining their own security policies. If incidents like it become widespread, you can bet that many schools might ban tailgating altogether.

Let’s just learn from the events that took place this past weekend and start showing some maturity. Any idiot can throw a punch or pull a trigger. It doesn’t show toughness. It proves stupidity.

Ryan Walker is the sports editor of The Pitt News and can be reached at rpw973@pitt.edu.