Armed Resistance Stops School Shooters -- Surprise!

Via Of Arms and the Law
From WCPO.com (Channel 9 - Kentucky) comes an item on the evolution of law enforcement tactics in response to profiles of typical mass murderers. It turns out that the "gun nuts" were right about how to deal with them.

Experts even have a couple new names for them. The item states they are called "active shooters" or "active killers" and authorities have mere minutes to stop them as their scenarios play out quickly. Up to the Columbine tragedy law enforcement doctrine stipulated that waiting for the SWAT team to assemble and assess the tactical situation was correct.

Too long.

The two student gunmen killed 15 people and themselves before the SWAT team was in position. Commanders realized that it simply takes too long to assemble a tactical team in time to stop an active killer.

So experts then thought that the first four or so officers on the scene were the answer.

The new tactics developed in response to Columbine involved creating an ad-hoc tactical team using the first four or five patrol officers on the scene.

They would enter the shooting scene in a diamond formation with guns pointing in all directions.This technique was employed by police departments around the country.

Then came the Virginia Tech shootings.

Seung Hui Cho shot 47 people, 30 fatally, in the university's Norris Hall in just 11 minutes.

That means every minute he killed more than three people and shot a total of four.

Once again, the gunman continued shooting until a four-officer team made entry and then he killed himself.

Now?

Based on the Virginia Tech data, experts determined the first officer on scene should make entry immediately with an aggressive attack on the shooter.

Every minute the officer waits for back-up, another three or more people could die.

In other words, while it was once considered suicide for a lone officer to take on an active killer, it is now considered statistical homicide for him not to do so.

And about those "no gun" signs malls and businesses like to put up and all those places politicians have deemed law abiding folks unfit to carry concealed weapons?

The other statistic that emerged from a study of active killers is that they almost exclusively seek out "gun free" zones for their attacks.

In most states, concealed handguns are prohibited at schools and on college campuses even for those with permits.

Many malls and workplaces also place signs at their entrances prohibiting firearms on the premises.

Now tacticians believe the signs themselves may be an invitation to the active killers.

The psychological profile of a mass murderer indicates he is looking to inflict the most casualties as quickly as possible.

Also, the data show most active killers have no intention of surviving the event.

They may select schools and shopping malls because of the large number of defenseless victims and the virtual guarantee no [one] on the scene one is armed.

As soon as they're confronted by any armed resistance, the shooters typically turn the gun on themselves.

How many times have we put on bumper stickers or used tag lines with these slogans:
"I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop."
"Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns."
"When Seconds Matter, Help from 911 is Minutes Away."

Those kids at Columbine and Virginia Tech did not all have to die. Armed teachers and/or guards at Columbine and armed professors, students, and guards at Virginia Tech who believe in the Second Amendment and self reliance could have stopped each incident in its tracks. "As soon as they're confronted by any armed resistance, the shooters typically turn the gun on themselves."

And on and on... We told them. Why does it take so long for the "experts" to listen?