More guns would mean more deaths

I am very disappointed at the Illinois State Rifle Association following the recent flash mob attacks on Chicago’s Gold Coast, which stated that if Illinois were allowed the carrying of concealed firearms in public places these attacks would have been prevented. These are the same people who come up to me and say “if somebody had a gun in that classroom, they could have stopped the shooter.”

My experience from the Virginia Tech shooting tells me that it is far from true. More guns in that classroom would have led to more chaos and death. More than likely some of the wrong people would have been killed by the others with guns because of the super rapid change in background. As the victims of the flash mob attacks have said, there wasn’t time to react.

The same can be said about a shooting. If there were guns, then you’d have adrenaline and nerves and all kinds of emotions mixed in as people react to the violence and then to have them start shooting on Michigan Avenue or any street. It would only lead to more senseless violence as well as more innocent lives lost because of possible stray bullets. Those bullets could kill those standing by as well as people in various buildings and vehicles, stationary or moving.

We need to be discussing the many ways there are to prevent violence instead or prolonging it.

Garret Evans

Chicago