Interesting story coming out of Texas. A concealed carry permit holder used his weapon to not just stop a crime but to apprehend the criminals. The news story is here.
How would this have played out in other states?
Utah, AZ, AK, GA, WY, MT, ID… Probably would have gone over just as it did.
Other states – NY, CT, MD, VA, NC, IL, CA, OR, WA and many others… The story probably would have been taking a much different tone.
Had this situation come to a different ending before the police arrived, I’m sure the story would have been negative even though the person tried to do the right thing. Or what if the Hero didn’t have a Permit – but had the gun in his car and was able to get it out and get into action. Would that have changed the tenor of the report? I be it would have. Heaven forbid that someone other than a Permit Holder attempt to do what’s right.
Do what’s right. Simple phrase. But dire consequences here. And things could have gone very pear shaped very quickly in this situation. But this man did the right thing – because it turned out okay. But what if he did the right thing and it didn’t turn out well? If that had happened, the Hero would have been branded a Vigilante and the report would have been that he shouldn’t have intervened.
The Police were of course, as always in case like this – advising Citizens to NOT get involved and just get good descriptions. “Observe and Report”… like most Security Guards. Notice that the Security Cameras are not good enough to get Plates? You can’t depend on Cameras. Cameras don’t reduce crime. If they did – this wouldn’t have happened, no?
Here’s the deal… We have far more GOOD GUYS than we have COPS. Permit Holders, or GOOD GUYS With Guns that DON’T have Permits. You see, if it was a First Aid situation, the person trying to help is covered under the Good Samaritan Law. But for a guy like this, there is no Legal Coverage for attempting to stop a crime in progress. So if you try and succeed – you are a good guy. Try and Fail – You will become “Part of the Problem” and you will be the Bad Guy.
Should we extend the Good Samaritan Law to cover attempting stopping crime in progress? Oh, the Liberal Mind will boil and explode on that question! Many Gun Owner’s will too. There will be more George Zimmermans out there… More Vigilantes… and some day someone might actually wear a costume while doing it! Oh this will be great entertainment… Debating the validity of something Good Men have been doing ever since there have been Bad Men.
I think we should… Amend the laws to protect the Good Samaritans. Just like a LEO is protected by law. Just think of it… Instead of a few cops in a town – you have thousands. Just like in the old “Wild West”. Here’s the thing about the Wild West… NEVER has this country had a period of greater Peace and never had people been so removed from Government. Oh we know all about the Shoot Outs that happened there because there were so few, each one was documented and talked about in detail. Now days? There are so many the Internet can’t even keep track. Let’s bring back those days of Peace.
