[red-beard]

Actually, most private citizens with firearms practice more than most police.

None of us know what we will do under the circumstances. We do know that an off duty Police officer with a concealed fire stopped the situation. I don't have the stats for Utah, but generally, only about 0.5% of the population have CHL and not all of those carry.

This situation shows that you are not necessilary safe ANYWHERE. Accept this, and take responsibility for your and your family members safety.

What if this mentally ill person had done the same thing with a car instead of a gun? Would it have been less deadly? It sure would have been more difficult to stop.

Do you people understand what a no guns sign at the entrance to a mall will accomplish? It will stop law abiding citizens from taking firearms into the mall, and mostly because CHLs will refuse to shop there. It will make it more difficult to stop a lunatic, since no one there will be armed to stop him. In some places, even the off-duty police are not allowed to carry where no guns signs are posted.

The basic problem is...the guy was a lunatic. It just so happened he used a firearm. It could as easily have been a car. How long did this go on? Less than a minute?

Under the circumstances, would I have fired upon the gentleman? I don't know. It would have depended on whether my life was in danger, what I'm armed with, and whether I thought I could take him out safely. I have never fired a weapon on another human. I would prefer to keep it that way.