According to the book description of Warnings Unheeded: Twin Tragedies
at Fairchild Air Force Base, it is "the true story of two separate
mass-casualty incidents that occurred within days of each other at a US Air
Force base. Using the words of the people who experienced the tragedies, the
book provides an in-depth look at the before, during and after of a preventable
"active shooter" incident and an avoidable fatal plane crash.
In one tragic week at Fairchild Air Force Base, an "active shooter" terrorized
the base hospital and a talented but reckless pilot crashed a B-52 bomber near
the flight line. Both fatal tragedies had been repeatedly predicted by numerous
airmen and mental health professionals. In "vivid and thoroughly researched
detail" Warnings Unheeded delivers an unprecedented, revealing look at the
events that led to the twin tragedies.
The book follows an "active shooter" as he progresses toward his crime and
dispels the myth that these incidents are random acts of violence committed
without warning by otherwise normal individuals.
In a parallel account, Warnings Unheeded tells the story of a veteran pilot who
was known for exceeding the maneuvering limits of his B-52 bomber. His reckless
flying not only put the lives of his crew at risk, but also the lives of the air
show spectators who gathered to watch him perform. When attempts to ground the
pilot were unsuccessful, several aviators refused to fly with him and "predicted
the worst air show disaster in history."
Warnings Unheeded is authored by Andy Brown, the man who ended the hospital
killing spree, and is a result of more than seven years of writing and research.
Brown "masterfully weaves" the stories together and intersperses them with
chapters revealing the preparations he made that enabled him to end a
pistol-versus-rifle gunfight with a 70 yard shot from his handgun. Brown also
writes of his experience with the aftermath of the shooting and encourages
others to learn from his mistakes when it comes to dealing with the effects of
trauma.
These empowering stories are exhaustively researched and presented in an
objective, narrative style that shows what can happen when authorities become
complacent, when the precursors of violence are ignored and when the lessons
from history are forgotten."
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