"This Could Have Been So Much Worse" BY TIM SCHMIDT - USCCA FOUNDER
August 2018 • Issue No. 32
"This Could Have Been So Much Worse"
BY TIM SCHMIDT - USCCA FOUNDER
"It's sad. But thank God somebody was there to deal with it."
So said Sergeant Bill Amos, of the Titusville Police Department, in an interview with WKMG News 6 following an incident at Isaac Campbell Park in Brevard County, Florida, last Saturday.
According to the City of Titusville website, "a man involved in a fistfight with another person at a crowded park ... returned several minutes later with a gun and opened fire. The gunman was then shot by a bystander, who was lawfully licensed to carry a firearm."
Police are hailing that bystander as a hero, Guns.com reports.
Florida Today said that the bystander, "an unidentified vendor with a licensed, concealed weapon, drew his gun on the shooter who was running toward the crowd and rapidly returned fire." The same source also reported that "police would only say that the bystander was lawfully carrying his weapon and that he was cooperating."
The incident occurred at the "Peace in the City" cookout, "organized as a memorial to Tony Butler, a homicide victim whose body was discovered in a burned-out car last month," according to Florida Today.
Fox 32 out of Chicago reported that hundreds of people attended the event, including dozens of children who "came to get free school supplies and backpacks."
John Lott, founder and president of the Crime Prevention Research Center, noted in a Fox News editorial that "fortunately, only the attacker was injured in Titusville" and that "the presence of an armed 'good guy' prevented the Titusville shooting from turning into a tragedy like [the] school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in February."
He continued: "Law enforcement officers cannot be everywhere, so the presence of armed citizens is vital to provide an instant response to attackers. The police responded within minutes, but the gun permit holder was right there the moment the attack started, enabling him to stop the attacker almost immediately."
This is one of the things we emphasize often here at the USCCA: the unfortunate reality that the police can't be everywhere all the time. That's why legally carrying a firearm and, of course, being trained in its use is so important. It means having a potentially lifesaving tool at hand the instant you need it.
Thank God this particular citizen understood that reality. The outcome was about as good as we can hope for in a situation like this.
The City of Titusville website says that "this case remains an active investigation by the Titusville Police Department. Detectives have consulted with the State Attorney's office and no charges are expected against the bystander, as his actions were within the law based on the preliminary investigation."
In fact, Fox 32 reports that "police say [the armed citizen] did the right thing. 'Based on the information that we've gathered,' said Titusville Police Sgt. William Amos, 'this person stepped in and saved a lot of people's lives.'"
Indeed. Score another one for the good guys.
Take care and stay safe,
Tim Schmidt
Publisher - Concealed Carry Report
USCCA Founder