School Shooting in Ohio

School Shooting in Ohio this morning. At lest four students are hurt, maybe as many as five. The perpetrator is in custody, and it appears that he is a student at the school.

If you just take a scan through this blog you will know my position on this. It is an absolute tragedy. But before we go nuts and start proposing new laws, let me point out these facts:

In Ohio:
• It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to purchase any firearm.
• It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to carry a handgun.
• It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to carry any concealed weapons.
• It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to buy ammunition for a handgun.
• It is illegal for anyone other than a Peace Officer to carry any type of gun in to a school zone or "Gun Free Zone."
• It is illegal to brandish a weapon.
• It is illegal to shoot or assault anyone, while NOT acting in self defense.

Despite all of the above laws, this crime still occurred. Nearly everything the perpetrator did was illegal.

Now let's take a look at the response. First the school was put on lockdown while the police were informed of the assault. What is lockdown? Nobody can leave the school, and no one can enter. Essentially you lock the students in with someone who has already demonstrated that they are willing to shoot others.
The police arrive and DO NOT enter the building. They first secured the parameter making sure nobody left or entered. Making positive that the assailant remains in the building with his current and future victims.
Minutes later SWAT arrives along with all of the command and control involved with their deployment. Attempts are made at communication with the gunman.
When no communication can be established, the SWAT team is sent in to secure the building.

In this situation, the gunman had already left the building and was apprehended some distance from the school. But, as in the case of the Columbine school shooting, the assailants simply kept shooting people as the police hung out outside the building. Ask yourself a serious question... What would make the children safer? Allowing legally licensed people to carry guns and act in their own self defense, and as a deterrent for those wishing to attack other children, or passing more laws to keep law abiding people from defending themselves and others?

The only way to deal with someone who is willing to break laws to injure others is with force. If they are willing to use firearms to do the injury, firearms must be used in the defense of others. If this wasn't true, the Police wouldn't carry firearms.

I think that the police have a very tough job. One I am unwilling to do. I am happy that there are people out there who do the job everyday. BUT, the police cannot be relied upon to protect me 24/7 365. When seconds count, the police are minutes away. Give the people the ability to defend themselves. Allow those legally licensed to carry weapons carry them. Maybe it would have deterred this shooter. Maybe someone could have stopped this from happening.