http://thegazette.com/subject/news/police-called-to-coral-ridge-mall-for-possible-shots-fired-20150612

 

I take my daughter to that mall as it's where the Children's Museum is.  It's about 45 minutes from my house.  The spot where the shooting took place is within eyesight of the Museum.  The Museum and mall are both "gun free" zones.  I've always carried concealed anyway precisely because of incidents like this.  It's the first I've heard of happening at that mall and I've been going to it since it was built about 20 years ago.  But this is a stark reminder that bad people can and will do bad things anywhere.  

 

I also asked myself what would I have done if we were there and I came to the conclusion that I would have drawn my pistol and gotten my family to safety.  I wouldn't have gone looking for the bad guy.  My license to carry isn't a hero permit.  My responsibility is to my family and to ensure their safety so that means getting them to the car and getting the hell outta Dodge, not looking to engage an active shooter(s) with a handgun while they get out un-escorted.  I could certainly escort my family to the safety of the vehicle, retrieve my .308 AR which is my vehicle carbine and gone looking for the shooter(s) but that's Hollywood bullshit and liable to get me killed if LE sees me with a carbine since there's no way for them to know I'm not the shooter.  I'm a civilian interested in defending myself, I'll leave engaging an active shooter(s) to guys who get paid to do that.

 

I train to fight with a gun.  This event will drive me to train harder because my family may depend on it some day.

Glad you're all ok Ty.

 

I hear you. I carry concealed and carry everywhere I go. I intentionally look to avoid seeing any "no firearm" signs when walking into buildings so I can honestly say I didn't know. If I do see a sign, oh well, i just pretend I didn't see it.

 

Rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6, as they say.

 

Also, rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.