An Open Letter to Mr. Banik and Other Uninformed Gun Control Advocates

This morning an FB friend that I like and agree with on most issues challenged supporters of gun rights to cite just one case where an individual carrying a firearm stopped a mass murder spree.

Why Subrata, a naturalized citizen of Canada, is so concerned about folks in The U.S. exercising their Constitutional right to Keep and Bear Arms is an interesting issue, but I will respond to his challenge never-the-less.  Following are four such examples, and then a few additional facts:

1)  In December 2007, Matthew Murray pledged he wanted to kill as many Christians as he could. The 24-year-old went to New Life Church in Colorado Springs and opened fire, killing 4 people in the process. Thankfully, an armed female congregant was able to draw her weapon and shoot Murray several times, stopping him from killing any others.

2)  In 2002, a shooting at Appalachian School of Law left three people dead. However, the shooter was stopped before he could kill any more because two students were able to run to their cars, get their guns, and use their weapons to halt the rampage.

3)  Reuters reported on July 6, 1999: "A shootout at a California shooting range ended a bizarre hostage drama ... Sgt. Anton Morec of the Santa Clara Police Department said the aspiring gunman, 21-year-old Richard Gable Stevens ... 'intended to go out in a blaze of glory,' noting Stevens had accumulated more than 100 rounds of ammunition for his rented 9 mm semi-automatic weapon.  " 'It certainly looks like he intended to take a lot more people out.'
"Morec said Stevens arrived at the National Shooting Club Monday evening and rented the rifle for target practice. ... After several minutes on the range, however, Stevens returned to the club's gun store and shot at the ceiling. He then herded three store employees out the door into an alley, saying he intended to kill them. "Unknown to Stevens, one store employee was carrying a .45-caliber handgun concealed beneath his shirt. When Stevens looked away, the employee fired, hitting Stevens several times in the chest and bringing him to the ground."
After Stevens was hospitalized, police found a note to his parents, predicting they would be bankrupted by lawsuits from the relatives of his intended "victims." Reuters said police concluded that, "The quick action by the gun club employee may have headed off a massacre."

4)  On December 7th of 2007, an unemployed man with a police record decided, according to a note found later, to go out in a blaze of glory by killing as many people at an Omaha mall as possible before committing suicide.  A story in a local paper reported:  "As Mr. Hawkins moved into the ideal sniper position on the upper deck, an unnamed middle-aged man emerging from the nearby Von Maur department store noticed his odd behavior and glimpsed the muzzle of the rifle peeking out from the sweater. Almost instinctively the man moved toward Mr. Hawkins, reaching to his belt to draw out a Springfield EMP, a small, 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

As the would-be famous mass killer raised the rifle to his shoulder, the unnamed shopper commanded him to stop. Mr. Hawkins turned the muzzle of the AK-47 toward the commanding voice, a single shot rang out and Mr. Hawkins staggered, dropped his weapon and fell against the railing.

By this time, two other shoppers were aiming their pistols at Mr. Hawkins — a young, single woman pulled a .40 caliber Glock 27 from her purse, and a retired farmer drew his 9mm Ruger SR9 (an early Christmas gift from his wife). Together with the first man they moved in to separate Mr. Hawkins from his gun, search him for other weapons and restrain him until law enforcement arrived.

Had Mr. Banik wished, he could have found these stories and others, but even though he eschews firearms he still chose to shoot from the hip.

Now for the facts:  1)  In every state that has enacted right to carry laws, every one, violent crime has dropped in the years following enactment in spite of the fact that gun ownership and the number of armed citizens walking the streets increased.  2)  Three studies, two by liberal academics and the other by the Clinton Justice Department, have estimated that the number of crimes prevented by legally armed citizens range from between 1.5 million and 2.5 million annually, usually with no shots being fired.  That's over 6,000 murders, rapes, and violent assaults EVERY DAY.

I have chosen to carry a firearm to protect myself and my family because I know the police can't and won't.  The unfortunate fact that Subrata ignores is that he doesn't even have the right to make that choice.  I hope he never has cause to regret it.