Mass Shooting Survivors Advocate for More Armed Citizens
The following story contains graphic descriptions of violence. On January 17, 1989, Rob Young walked to school in his new pair of LA Gear tennis shoes, a Christmas gift. However, by the end of the day, his shoes were soaked in blood, and his best friend Scotty was nursing a severe leg wound. “You know, Robbie, I think we’ve been shot,” Young recalls Scotty saying.
The Stockton Schoolyard Shooting
That foggy morning, a lone gunman opened fire on the playground of Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California, where Young and his friends were playing kickball. Young was hit twice, once in the foot and once in the chest, where the bullet remains lodged to this day. The shooting resulted in five deaths and 30 injuries, including a teacher.
This incident led to California's first ban on certain semiautomatic rifles, often referred to as "assault weapons". The event also sparked a nationwide discussion on gun control that continues to this day.
President Joe Biden, for instance, recently signed executive orders regulating homemade guns and promoting active shooter drills in schools. Vice President Kamala Harris has also voiced her support for reinstating the assault weapons ban, implementing universal background checks, safe storage laws, and red flag laws.
Many survivors of the Stockton schoolyard shooting became advocates for gun control. However, Young, who later pursued a career in law enforcement, believes that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. He emphasizes that the Stockton shooter only ended his rampage when he realized armed police had arrived.
The Sutherland Springs Shooting
Zachary Poston shares Young's sentiments. On November 5, 2017, Poston was at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, when a convicted felon with a history of mental health issues and a hatred for religion began shooting through the church's front door. Poston was shot multiple times, but he survived thanks to his grandmother, who shielded him with her own body.
Stephen Willeford, who lived across the street from the church, heard the gunfire and confronted the shooter with his AR-15. Willeford shot the gunman six times, causing him to flee. Willeford and another man chased the gunman, who eventually shot himself.
Poston believes that the shooter was stopped because Willeford returned fire. He now carries a gun himself, hoping to prevent such an incident from happening again.
Debate on Gun Control
However, not everyone agrees with Young and Poston. Some groups argue that the solution to mass shootings is stricter gun control, such as the resurrection of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban implemented by the Clinton administration.
Massad Ayoob, a firearms instructor, argues that gun control activists often focus on the emotional impact of victims' stories while ignoring those who survive because someone was there with a gun to take down the shooter.
Michael Collazo, a metro police officer who engaged a mass shooter at Covenant Christian School in Nashville, agrees with Ayoob. He believes that the only gun on campus that day was locked in a car and inaccessible, which could have made a difference.
Bottom Line
While the debate on gun control continues, it's clear that there are differing opinions on the matter. Some believe in stricter gun control measures, while others, like Young and Poston, argue that more good guys with guns could prevent such tragedies.
What do you think about this issue? Share your thoughts and this article with your friends. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which takes place every day at 6pm.
