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I have not open carried in a mall yet. I have not been to any mall in almost a year, so it is not as if I am avoiding it, but stories like this concern me. While I am glad to have the police training for a situation like this, I am wondering how people would react to an honest, sane, law abiding person carrying a firearm. I don't like the idea of going into a mall unarmed, because the exact scenario as described in the story could happen, but at the same time I don't like the idea of having a police force taking me out because I have a gun "so I must be terrorist or a crazy gunman." Last time I was at the mall, I didn't see any "No Firearms" signs, but that could have changed.
Notice the part of the story that says it took less than 30 minutes to disarm the "gunman". I don't want to be stuck in a mall with a gunman for 30 minutes. That's 30 minutes too long for me.
So what do you think? Would I be stupid to carry at a mall; am I just "asking for trouble"? I can live my life just fine without going to a mall if I can't carry there, and I could probably save some money, but I don't want to shy away from carrying.Do Idaretrust the police to be able to see the difference between a crazed gunman ready to take on the world andan honest law abiding citizencarrying a firearmso I can defend myselfin case that crazy gunman shows up?Here is a link to the story:
Belden Village mall, and mall security officer John Day help scared patrons as part of a safety training exercise Sunday.
JACKSON TWP. For 20 minutes Sunday evening, terror reigned inside of Westfield Belden Village mall as a man with an AK-47 fired off shots.
The gun was loaded with blanks, the volunteer patrons screaming in terror were coached, but for the emergency personnel involved, the situation could easily become reality.
"It's something we don't want to have to prepare for, but, certainly, we do," Police Department Maj. Dave Zink said.
Closed to patrons after 6 p.m. Sunday, the normally bustling shopping center was host to an emergency preparedness drill for security and the township police and fire departments.
"I hope and pray nothing like this ever happens," mall General Manager Katrina Barton said, "but it's our job to be prepared."
Barton said the mall holds two internal security drills annually, but this is the first drill the mall has held in coordination with township safety forces. More than 100 volunteers participated in the drill including Township Trustee Steve Meeks.
In recent years, malls from New York state to Washington state have had real-life situations such as the scenario acted out at Westfield. In February, a man at a Salt Lake City mall went on a shooting spree, killing five people.
"It's so important to be prepared," Meeks said. "To be proactive instead of reactive."
In Sunday's drill, North Canton Police Department officer Sean Bates played a shooter on a rampage in the mall.
Bates entered the facility by the dining area at 6:32 p.m. unloading a shot that sent volunteers diving for cover under tables and running for safety.
As Bates fired off more shots and moved deeper into the mall, police and fire personnel arrived, quickly accessed the situation and moved in on the shooter within minutes.
As police tracked Bates, mall security helped evacuate the building, assist injured patrons and set up triage tents in the parking lot.
Officers tracked Bates from the dining area into the center of the mall near JB Robinson Jewelers. The situation called for Bates being taken down by gunfire.
It took police officers less than 30 minutes to remove Bates' weapon after he fired his first shot. Zink said the lessons learned was essential.
"We had a lot of new officers and part-time officers participate," Zink said. "The experience this offered is invaluable."
The mall security and the police and fire departments will break down the training exercise and use it to ensure the proper procedures are in place for the future.
I have not open carried in a mall yet. I have not been to any mall in almost a year, so it is not as if I am avoiding it, but stories like this concern me. While I am glad to have the police training for a situation like this, I am wondering how people would react to an honest, sane, law abiding person carrying a firearm. I don't like the idea of going into a mall unarmed, because the exact scenario as described in the story could happen, but at the same time I don't like the idea of having a police force taking me out because I have a gun "so I must be terrorist or a crazy gunman." Last time I was at the mall, I didn't see any "No Firearms" signs, but that could have changed.
Notice the part of the story that says it took less than 30 minutes to disarm the "gunman". I don't want to be stuck in a mall with a gunman for 30 minutes. That's 30 minutes too long for me.
So what do you think? Would I be stupid to carry at a mall; am I just "asking for trouble"? I can live my life just fine without going to a mall if I can't carry there, and I could probably save some money, but I don't want to shy away from carrying.Do Idaretrust the police to be able to see the difference between a crazed gunman ready to take on the world andan honest law abiding citizencarrying a firearmso I can defend myselfin case that crazy gunman shows up?Here is a link to the story:
Belden Village mall, and mall security officer John Day help scared patrons as part of a safety training exercise Sunday.
JACKSON TWP. For 20 minutes Sunday evening, terror reigned inside of Westfield Belden Village mall as a man with an AK-47 fired off shots.
The gun was loaded with blanks, the volunteer patrons screaming in terror were coached, but for the emergency personnel involved, the situation could easily become reality.
"It's something we don't want to have to prepare for, but, certainly, we do," Police Department Maj. Dave Zink said.
Closed to patrons after 6 p.m. Sunday, the normally bustling shopping center was host to an emergency preparedness drill for security and the township police and fire departments.
"I hope and pray nothing like this ever happens," mall General Manager Katrina Barton said, "but it's our job to be prepared."
Barton said the mall holds two internal security drills annually, but this is the first drill the mall has held in coordination with township safety forces. More than 100 volunteers participated in the drill including Township Trustee Steve Meeks.
In recent years, malls from New York state to Washington state have had real-life situations such as the scenario acted out at Westfield. In February, a man at a Salt Lake City mall went on a shooting spree, killing five people.
"It's so important to be prepared," Meeks said. "To be proactive instead of reactive."
In Sunday's drill, North Canton Police Department officer Sean Bates played a shooter on a rampage in the mall.
Bates entered the facility by the dining area at 6:32 p.m. unloading a shot that sent volunteers diving for cover under tables and running for safety.
As Bates fired off more shots and moved deeper into the mall, police and fire personnel arrived, quickly accessed the situation and moved in on the shooter within minutes.
As police tracked Bates, mall security helped evacuate the building, assist injured patrons and set up triage tents in the parking lot.
Officers tracked Bates from the dining area into the center of the mall near JB Robinson Jewelers. The situation called for Bates being taken down by gunfire.
It took police officers less than 30 minutes to remove Bates' weapon after he fired his first shot. Zink said the lessons learned was essential.
"We had a lot of new officers and part-time officers participate," Zink said. "The experience this offered is invaluable."
The mall security and the police and fire departments will break down the training exercise and use it to ensure the proper procedures are in place for the future.