3/01/2005

Coming to the wrong lesson on Right to carry laws

Just a couple of days ago I pointed to a case in Tyler, Texas where a concealed handgun permit holder used his gun to save at least one life, though the good semaritan was himself killed in the attack. Now there is a discussion in Texas on what are the right lessons to draw from the experience:

But gun control groups say his death is further proof that carrying a gun increases a person's chances of getting killed.

Tyler police spokesman Don Martin warned gun owners to carefully weigh the risks before intervening.

State Representative Suzanna Hupp is a supporter of the state's concealed carry law.

Hupp says Wilson's actions and his access to a gun improved the odds that Arroyo would be taken down before more people were killed.


The murderer in this case was wearing body armor that protected him from Wilson's shots. But more important, the one thing that struck me in my research with Bill Landes on Multiple Victim Public Shootings was how the number of people harmed in these types of attacks was related to how quickly a gun got to the scene to stop the attack. Mark Wilson was obviously able to get there well before the police.

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