Here’s the conclusion I have come to regarding mass casualty shootings. I have studied these types of events since the 80’s when I entered into law enforcement; I have since retired but these situations have not. It isn’t about the gun, or the ammo; they’re just tools to get the mission done. I’m not a doctor or a shrink (although I did run this by one), but I have plenty of experience dealing with “EDP’s” (emotionally disturbed persons) as a police officer). I haven’t seen this brought up anywhere since last weeks events.
When it comes to “EDP’s” carrying out these shootings, here’s what I think happens. They plan these incidents out in great detail, timed to the second, and rehearse it mentally many times before the actual event. They are very careful about target selection, choosing a location where they are confident they won’t meet any resistance in their action timeframe and will have maximum public impact. They may even go do silent walkthroughs of the selected location to plan timing and research possible resistance. They already know, in their own mind, how it’s going go right to the final second when they end it by killing themselves so they don’t have to go through the humility of explaining and justifying their actions. It’s all about control, their control and only their control.
The day of the event arrives… they begin to execute their plan, knowing nothing can go wrong, and in most cases they are correct, having carefully chosen their target as a gun free zone with maximum impact. BUT… if something begins to unravel, a totally unexpected curve gets thrown in the mix, like an armed civilian with the mental fortitude to step up to the plate, and the plan goes way off script. Then the shooter has to end the show early, in a way of his choosing (it’s all about control, remember?). The armed intervention guy might not even have to fire a shot (like Oregon last week), but his/her mere presence is enough to cause the shooter to end the show.
And therein lays the importance of an armed society. If the sheepdogs are free to roam and protect the pack, they will. It will be impossible to really track their effectiveness, as they will do their job quietly, efficiently and effectively. But the mass killers will find opposition, and will be unable to carry out whatever evil they have planned without interference. The liberals can point at gun control all they want, but more laws aren’t the fix. Let’s hope sanity prevails.