Stopped in 80 Seconds: Armed Response, Not Gun Control, Halted School Rampage

[JBond]

Back in March, we reported on Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D) signing into law the most sweeping anti-gun legislation in the history of the Centennial State, despite overwhelming opposition to the legislation. The new law, among other things, bans magazines with a capacity of greater than 15 rounds, imposes a "gun tax" for a background check when purchasing a firearm, and criminalizes the private transfer of a firearm. The anti-gunners claimed these measures would keep guns out of the hands of bad guys.

On December 13th, a tragic shooting at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado, resulted in the death of an innocent victim and the suicide of the perpetrator.

Media reports indicate that the perpetrator was planning a much larger attack and was armed with a shotgun, about 125 rounds of ammunition, three Molotov cocktails, and a machete.

According to a CNN story, Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said of the shooter, "His intent was evil, and his evil intent was to harm multiple individuals."

On his arm, the perpetrator had written in indelible ink five classroom numbers and a phrase in Latin that translates to "the die has been cast," according to the sheriff's office.

But as reported in the Washington Times, the attacker's rampage was stopped short by the quick response of an armed deputy sheriff who was working as a resource officer at the school. Upon learning of the threat, the deputy ran from the cafeteria to the library, yelling for people to get down and identifying himself as a deputy sheriff. The horrific incident lasted only a total of 80 seconds and ended with the shooter turning his gun on himself in the library as the deputy was closing in on him.

"We know for a fact that the shooter knew that the deputy was in the immediate area and, while the deputy was containing the shooter, the shooter took his own life," Sheriff Robinson said. Robinson said the deputy's response was "a critical element to the shooter's decision" to kill himself.

During a December 15 appearance on Face the Nation, Gov. Hickenlooper, was forced to admit that the very gun control bills he signed into law--and which resulted in the historic recalls of two state senators and the resignation of a third to avoid the same fate--did not make "a difference at all" in the school shooting.

"So things like universal background checks, I think they are going to make us safer, but in this specific case aren't going to make a difference at all. And that's the challenge," Hickenlooper said.

What does make a difference is an armed response; but it only works in a situation where properly secured firearms are available onsite to be used by responsible, proficient, courageous people--in other words, the good guys.

A Cleveland.com story concludes that school shooters aren't interested in a fight; they're interested in soft targets that will leave them in control of the situation long enough to accomplish their evil deed.

In this case, the perpetrators was met instead with a hard target--an armed, qualified security presence that was ready and willing to stop him--and did so in just 80 seconds.

Gun-control laws didn't stop a possible massacre at Arapahoe High School. A good guy with a gun stopped the rampage and in doing so almost certainly prevented much greater harm. For that, at least, we all can be thankful.

http://www.nraila.org/news-issues/a...,-not-gun-control,-halted-school-rampage.aspx

 

[jeebus]

Yea, I never heard of this incident.

 

[Jon88]

Me neither.

I think someone made this up.

 

[JBond]

You guys did not hear about this because it was not covered on the Daily Show. They were busy reminiscing about the Newtown shooting where the schooled failed to protect the children.

The media tends not to cover the things that work. Panic and bans and sensationalism sells better and meets the goal of their agenda.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — A teenager who wounded a fellow student before killing himself at a suburban Denver high school entered the building with a shotgun, a machete, three Molotov cocktails and ammunition strapped to his body, likely intending to track down a librarian who had disciplined him, authorities said Saturday.

After firing a round down a hallway, Karl Pierson, 18, shot a fellow student who just happened to be sitting nearby with a friend as he headed toward the library. Claire Davis, 17, was shot in the head at point-blank range and remained hospitalized Saturday in critical condition.

Pierson set off one of the devices, but killed himself just one minute and 20 seconds after entering the building because he knew a sheriff's deputy assigned to the school was closing in, Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said at a news conference.

Pierson's original target was believed to be a librarian who coached the school's speech and debate team. The librarian, whose name was not released, had disciplined the teen in September for reasons that haven't been disclosed.

The librarian was able to escape the school unharmed, Robinson said.

The sheriff also said Davis appeared to be a random target. Based on Pierson's arsenal, Robinson believes the teen intended to hurt many others at the school just 8 miles from Columbine High School.

"His evil intent was to harm multiple individuals," Robinson said.

Pierson legally purchased his shotgun at a local store a week before the shooting and bought the ammunition the day of the shooting. Anyone 18 and older is allowed to buy a shotgun in Colorado; only those over 21 can legally buy a handgun.

According to Robinson, Pierson fired another round down the hallway after wounding Davis. Pierson then entered the library, fired one shot and detonated one Molotov cocktail, which caused three bookshelves to catch fire. After that, he fired a fifth round, ran to a corner and shot himself.

Robinson said investigators believe Pierson made some kind of threat in September, after the librarian disciplined him.

"We are looking into that, to the degree that it was understood, and then what interactions or interventions took place," the sheriff said. No other details on the threat were released.

Students and a teacher described Pierson as a smart and sometimes goofy student who often talked about his beliefs during class, sometimes even debating his teachers. They said he was outspoken about his Communist-leaning political views.

They also said he was an Eagle Scout who finished at the top of speech competitions.

Pierson competed in extemporaneous speaking — in which students prepare short speeches on current events — in the National Forensic League's national tournament in June in Birmingham, Ala. He didn't advance to the elimination rounds, the league said.

"I think he (Pierson) really cultivated his speech and argument skills and really thought that was a big part of his identity," said Steve Miles, an English teacher who taught Pierson as a freshman.

Zach Runberg, 18, a fellow senior from Pierson's English class, said the teen was funny and made intelligent jokes.
"He would speak for himself," Runberg said. "He would not be afraid to tell someone how he feels."

Pierson, whose parents were divorced, lived at least part of the time with his mother in a higher-end neighborhood in suburban Highlands Ranch. The home and others around it have three-car garages, and a country club is nearby. The front door of the home was covered with plywood Saturday after authorities conducted a search overnight.

Challon Winer, who lives across the street from Pierson's home, said he often would see the teen mowing the lawn or shoveling snow from the driveway.

"I noticed that he didn't look extremely happy, but he was a teenager," subject to the normal moods of that age group, Winer said.

In recent days the teen's schedule appeared to change, and he left the house a little later than usual, Winer said.
Winer said Pierson's mother, Barbara Pierson, has worked with the Neighborhood Watch group and sometimes sent emails reminding residents about safety precautions. "She seemed aware of what was going on," Winer said.

Meanwhile, the family of the wounded student issued a statement Saturday saying she is suffering from severe head trauma, and asking for privacy. People gathered for a vigil for her Saturday night, while some students collected money to help cover her medical expenses.

Senior Chris Davis said he helped organize the fundraiser in hopes of helping his classmates and the larger community heal.

"I feel like it's going to make us a stronger senior class and school as a whole," Chris Davis said. "Everyone went through it, and we all know people experienced it in their own way, and we just need to be there for everybody."

Chris Davis is not related to Claire Davis, but his locker at school is right next to hers. He described Claire Davis as someone who loves horses, has a lot of friends and always seems happy.

The Arapahoe shooting came a day before the one-year anniversary of the Newtown, Conn., attack in which a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. About 200 people, including relatives of the victims of last year's Aurora theater shooting, gathered in a park in Denver to remember those killed in Newtown.

http://news.yahoo.com/sheriff-colorado-gunman-wanted-hurt-many-more-010739865.html

 

[VTA]

You guys did not hear about this because it was not covered on the Daily Show.