What if someone had been armed?
A killer enters a crowded megachurch in Colorado shortly after noon on Sunday, Dec. 9 and begins shooting.
Other recent shootings include those at Northern Illinois University, Virginia Tech, and the Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park.
What's the difference in these mass killings?
The difference is that the murderer in the megachurch shooting was quickly stopped by the actions of a single, citizen lady who undoubtedly saved many lives because she was legally armed, trained and able to defend herself and those around her.
Had just one licensed and trained individual been present and legally armed, perhaps he or she could have stopped the other mass killings, including that at NIU.
The NIU killer fired an astounding 54 times into the crowd of students, switched guns and "calmly reloaded" amid the panic and chaos of his death spree.
Anyone properly trained in the use of firearms as a self-defense technique perhaps could have had the time to assess and act on the situation while the shooter stood alone on the lectern stage.
The NIU campus police responded to the 911 calls in about 29 seconds and did a superb job. Yet they were unable to stop the attack. The shooter knew his intended victims would be unarmed and had no fear that he would be met with any resistance.
It is possible that he would not have even planned an attack had he reason to believe that one or more members of the audience might be able to stop him. Certainly his rampage wouldn't have lasted for 54 rounds.
Today, 39 states allow trained and licensed citizens to arm themselves for self-protection. Our politicians must reconsider their wisdom of prohibiting Illinois citizens from the ability to arm and protect themselves and those around them.
James E. Denny
Deer Park