Cinema shooting in Aroura Colorada

[SturmRugerSR9]

What a tradgety. 12 people killed and approx. 40 wounded in the midnight showing of the new "Batman" movie. I received a email today from the Gun Owners of America stating that the Anti-Gun Lobby and Anti- Gun politicians are on the warpath all ready about this incidence, claiming that guns should be banned all over. I found out that this theater is a "Gun Free Zone" meaning no one is allowed to carry, even with a CCW permit, in that theater. I guess the killer knew that, and felt he was safe from some one shooting him. There he was armed to the hilt, and not one person in that theater could do a @@@@ thing to defend themselves or others.
Groups like the Brady Campaign saying that this was just another mass killing because people were allowed to buy guns. New York Mayor Bloomberg was breaking his neck to get to a microphone to make negative comments about gun ownership. Piers Morgan himself and guest were denouncing gun ownership. Hillary Clinton Barack Obama and eric Holder are trying to get the UN Gun Ban Treaty brought to America so the Democrat controlled US Senate can ratify it as we speak.
Our of all the people in that theater, not one person was able to bring this guy down and save dozens. I recalled that just about a week ago a story about a pair that came into an internet cafe in Florida weilding guns attempting to rob the place, possibly killing patrons, and a 60 something senoir, Samuel Willianson, armed with his own Legal Concealed Carry pistol fired and shot one criminal in the @@@, and ran the other one off and saved anyone from being harmed in the cafe.
Shamefully, there was no Samuel Williamson in the theater in Aroura Colorado last night, able to save those 12 young people that died, or the 40 plus wounded. 
The attacker just stood there and fired, and fired, and fired at will, with out fear for his own life. because it was a "Gun Free Zone".

[Obleo]

Maybe I'm just being an optimist at exactly the wrong time.  Throughout history, savagery brought about changes to correct the source of the problem.  I’m not going to sheriff-up and join a posse but competent persons should heed the call and provide protection for their family (extended as it may be).  Maybe this shooting could be a catalyst.  Come on...if cops were called then what happened?  Where were they?  Don't they respond to complaints?  I can ask questions all night, but at least I’m doing something about it!

[Hawkeye]

Reports are still early and they are saying this guy was wearing body armor.  Any regular CCW carrier would have been greatly outgunned.  Most of us carry with the intentions of protecting ourselves at close distances and carry short barreled firearms for concealment convenience.  As much as I would like to think that I could have made a difference in a situation like this trying to fire across a smoke and/or gas filled theater more than likely would have been an exercise in futility.  Unless you were extremely close when the shooting started the best you could hope for is to make a tactical retreat and get you and your family out.

[Condition 1]

I've been following the story on the news, very sad...real tragedy. May God give comfort to the heart and mind to those involved.

[pjd832]

Wondering what effect this may have on area theaters in regards to heightened metal dectectors/security/pat downs etc .... While I cc all day every day and simply don't go where not legal ....wife wants to go to movies today... and didn't want to be made an example by someone in light of the co tragedy

[Obleo]

pjd832 :  Good point.  I'll speak up if I see or hear how this unravels locally.  This is the best forum for getting that kind of heads-up out.

[Rfscanner]

Even though this jerk was wearing body armor, wouldn't a couple of rounds from a 9mm, 40S&W or .45acp to the chest take the wind out of his sails?

[oldgraygeek]

Even though this jerk was wearing body armor, wouldn't a could of rounds of 9mm, 40S&W or .45acp to the chest take the wind out of his sails?

Yes... and this is why I carry a Glock 29. A round of full-power 10mm Auto carries more kinetic energy than any other common semi-auto ammunition.

I'm a pessimist, and/or an a**hole, and both would have come in handy in Aurora the other night.
I'll never go to a movie unarmed again.

[SturmRugerSR9]

RFScanner,
I'm betting a round from a 9mm, .40 or .45 cal through the gas mask would have dropped him. Not a shot that hard to make, considering the targets at a lot of ranges are 8 1/2" in diameter. That is the size of most peoples face. My SR9 holds 18 rounds and the last time I fired I put all of them in the 8 1/2" target area and I don't fire that often, so I know most of the rest of you could do it.

[oldgraygeek]

RFScanner,
I'm betting a round from a 9mm, .40 or .45 cal through the gas mask would have dropped him. Not a shot that hard to make, considering the targets at a lot of ranges are 8 1/2" in diameter. That is the size of most peoples face. My SR9 holds 18 rounds and the last time I fired I put all of them in the 8 1/2" target area and I don't fire that often, so I know most of the rest of you could do it.

+1
Every time we go to the range, the first thing I do is draw from the holster and take a headshot at 10 yards. I always hit it, even if I haven't been shooting for a few months. If I didn't make it, I'd order a few thousand rounds of 10mm and come back two or three times a week until I was confident again.

I need to have at least a fighting chance. If they start putting metal detectors at theaters, I'll never go to a movie again.

[CorBon]

Wondering what effect this may have on area theaters in regards to heightened metal dectectors/security/pat downs etc .... While I cc all day every day and simply don't go where not legal ....wife wants to go to movies today... and didn't want to be made an example by someone in light of the co tragedy

One little note, corporate policies are not law.  So, even if having the weapon is against their policy, the most that they can do is ask you to leave.  If you refuse to leave or secure the weapon outside of their establishment, then that changes things -- but mainly in regard to trespassing.

Remember, concealed means they can't see it, and if they can't see it -- it ain't there!

[Radnor]

RFScanner,
I'm betting a round from a 9mm, .40 or .45 cal through the gas mask would have dropped him. Not a shot that hard to make, considering the targets at a lot of ranges are 8 1/2" in diameter. That is the size of most peoples face. My SR9 holds 18 rounds and the last time I fired I put all of them in the 8 1/2" target area and I don't fire that often, so I know most of the rest of you could do it.

Under no stress, excitement, panic, etc. ....

[oldgraygeek]

Under no stress, excitement, panic, etc. ....

+1

But it's our duty to try, if we can.
IMHO, YMMV, AMWPBL.

[Rfscanner]

RFScanner,
I'm betting a round from a 9mm, .40 or .45 cal through the gas mask would have dropped him. Not a shot that hard to make, considering the targets at a lot of ranges are 8 1/2" in diameter. That is the size of most peoples face. My SR9 holds 18 rounds and the last time I fired I put all of them in the 8 1/2" target area and I don't fire that often, so I know most of the rest of you could do it.

No doubt, but anyone with marginal skills would of been able to at least slow him down with a couple of rounds from these calibers to the chest.

[oldgraygeek]

Even if we were only able to slow him down, it would force him to waste ammo shutting us down.
Imagine how many people that might save, even if all we ended up doing is taking several for the team... if a few more people got out alive because he had to send rounds my way, I could live die with that.