Seems we had a little wild wild west shootout at the OK Corral right here in SLC last evening. I apologize for being glib, this story is definitely not funny.
A couple of Neighborhood Watch guys were driving around looking for possible perps responsible for vandalism in the area. Upon questioning a group of roaming girls, one of the girls took offense, and returned home where dad and daughter headed out again, both of them armed, to find the Neighborhood Watch guys.
The KSL story tells us the dad shot the Neighborhood Watch guy leaving him in critical condition and fighting for his life. The shooter claims his victim had pulled a gun on him.
I guess the most troubling thing about this story is that people who are described by their neighbors as normally peacable would consider the need not only to carry the gun, but to draw it and actually use it to solve a situation in which clearly no law had been broken and no-one’s life was threatened..
Yes, this is progress for civilization. People taking the law into their own hands, tracking down and shooting people they deem to be guilty of . . . something. Wouldn’t you say what this country needs is even more guns in the hands of gun nuts like this?
By the way, as of this posting, there were over 500 comments on the KSL article. As curious as I was to see how the comments were trending, I resisted reading them, but perhaps some of our readers can summarize for us.
#1 by Cliff on July 22, 2009 - 6:45 pm
Thank you Becky for writing about this.
It is a classic case study for the fact that by simple virtue of owning a hand gun, the chances of dying increase dramatically.
Based on this fact, one might suggest that owning a gun is cruelty to those you love.
Nothing could be stupider than teaching your wife to draw a gun, or anyone.
The rule is if you draw your gun, start firing immediately.
Thats a pretty stupid thing to expect from a person who has never even considered hurting someone let alone murdering someone in cold blood to just come out shooting.
Why? …Because thats the rule. Shoot to kill. Ask questions later.
All trained shooters know this.
ITS INSANE!!! FUCKING INSANE!
#2 by brewski on July 22, 2009 - 8:09 pm
And when you shoot them as they are climbing in your bedroom window, make sure they fall INTO your house, and not out.
#3 by Cliff on July 22, 2009 - 8:24 pm
That must be why shotguns are the preferred weapon for ladies.
And why Dad always used to say, when Moma gits out the double barrel, run like the dickens.
Yeeee ha!
#4 by Frank Lynch on July 23, 2009 - 12:21 am
Its a real sickening story, even if we have a license gun we can use it for self- defense, this incidence shows the increasing intolerance and impatience among people who cannot stand anything, it was certainly a whimsical step taken by the shooter.
#5 by mikeb302000 on July 23, 2009 - 4:17 am
Becky, I think you’re right. “People taking the law into their own hands, tracking down and shooting people they deem to be guilty of . . . something.”
Although some may deny this, I believe it perfectly describes the gun owners’ mentality. It’s bad news all around.
#6 by Shane Smith on July 23, 2009 - 7:24 am
People taking the law into their own hands, tracking down and shooting people they deem to be guilty of . . . something.”
As an ethicist, I know everyone is guilty of something. I guess that means i better start saving for the bullets now. Everyone is a lot of people to shoot.
#7 by anonymous on July 23, 2009 - 8:48 am
It isn’t just the gun owners that act this way. We all are complicit with these types of acts as they are constantly performed by our own government against foreign peoples that “must be guilty of something”. They are often not guilty of anything but get it in the neck just make sure.
Lately the guilt is that some people have been born on lands that are sitting atop of our oil.
No need to save bullets for yourself Shane, your tax dollars are buying a pile, and some other rather wicked payback devices, DU, MOABS, cluster munitions. It does not seem to matter which flavor of politicos rule, we can go back to all our wars and see how the wars carry on despite political orientation. Afghanistan being the most recent example.
It is dubious to expect a people to be better than their own rulers, and the example of revenge and unjustified killing based on incorrect information is not lost on the average Joe prone to vengeance who may feel he has been wronged.
#8 by Robert on July 24, 2009 - 10:19 am
Its shocking! i agree with you when you said that” they deemed to be guilty of…” its true people do what they think is right, they ignore law and forget that they are suppose to abide by certain rules and regulations. If you own a gun it doesn’t make you judge to decide who is guilty! Its foolishness,sheer foolishness!