This case of a shooting that took place recently at a Walmart is a good example of one of the things we talk about gun holders needing to do after they use their gun. Let’s go over what happened.
Earlier in the month of November in Thornton, Colorado, Scott Ostrem, 47, was arrested after walking into a Walmart and as witness say, “nonchalantly” started shooting. He killed two men and a woman apparently at random. Shoppers said “pandemonium” broke out after Ostrem walked out of the Walmart as calmly as he walked in.
According to the descriptions, shoppers were running for the exits, yelling, trying to get the exit doors to open up. A follow-up article from the cops’ point of view explains that the cops took precious time trying to decipher between the “good guys” with the guns and the potential suspects.
We published this article recently on “what to do if you encounter an active shooter,” so if you missed that article go back and read that now. The last section is about not acting like a threat yourself, which is exactly what this article is about.
In this follow-up article, the cops explain that there were between two-and-five “good guys” with guns. When officers arrive on a shooting scene, they need to clear the scene, to make sure the shooter is isolated as well as make sure there are no further victims who get caught up in police gunfire. How can they do that if the “good guys” have their guns drawn? If you’ve got your gun out because there’s a “bad guy” around, put it away as soon as you can and move out of the way. Don’t be stupid about getting yourself caught up in police fire. And don’t waste the cop’s precious time in responding to a real event because you haven’t holstered your own weapon yet.
