Well this certainly sucks.
Four wounded and the shooter offed himself in the end. Why do these whack jobs insist on doing things in that order? They should start with shooting themselves first and then trying to kill other people. The end result would be much nicer.
Was that too crass? Yeah, I’m not sorry about that. I have little sympathy for people that are fucked in the head enough to run around shooting at people.
Naturally this is going to result in more debate about carrying weapons in schools. I have no problems with teachers carrying weapons at school in accordance with state laws. If state laws forbid it then they need to be changed. Right here in Michigan there’s a push to make that happen, and I consider that a good thing.
Now, here’s where I differ from my fellow gun nuts: Permitting CCW in schools won’t do diddly pooh to reduce school shootings. These whackos have no concern for their own well being when they jump off the deep end. This latest incident occured across the street from an FBI office for crying out loud. Let that sink in for a bit.
Having an FBI office across the freaking street wasn’t enough to make this asshole rethink his plan, and it wasn’t enough to protect the students.
It may, and this is a very slim chance, reduce the level of destruction that they bring, but it’s slim. I say that because in the few areas where it’s legal it hasn’t happened. In the same vein no student has taken a pistol from a teacher in an area where CCW is permitting on school grounds.
What we do know is:
1) School shooters in gun-free zones have only ended their rampage themselves.
2) No student has taken away a pistol from a teacher ini an area where CCW is permitted.
What we don’t know is whether or not a teacher with a pistol could stop these incidents. Well, sorta. This incident just popped into my mind:
Many students heard the shots. Two who did were Mikael Gross and Tracy Bridges. Mikael was outside the school having just returned to campus from lunch when he heard the shots. Tracy was inside attending class. Both immediately ran to their cars. Each had a handgun locked in the vehicle.
Bridges pulled a .357 Magnum pistol and he later said he was prepared to shoot to kill if necessary. He and Gross both approached Odighizuwa at the same time from different directions. Both were pointing their weapons at him. Bridges yelled for Odighizuwa to drop his weapon. When the shooter realized they had the drop on him he threw his weapon down.
They weren’t teachers, and they weren’t carrying, but introduction of arms by the “friendlies” seems to have dissolved that situation quite handily.
I’m sure there are others out there not coming to mind. No wait, there’s the whole Charles Whitman clock tower incident where civilians pinned the guy down with rifle fire until the police could mount a proper attack on the guy. Seems it worked there too.
You know, maybe permitting firearms on school grounds is a good idea.