On Guns at Universities

Some will argue that if there were armed students that it would minimize the effects of such events. Perhaps. But using the NIU sitiuation as an example, if a guy jumps out from behind a curtain into a lecture hall and starts shooting, the surprise factor alone could have allowed him to shoot 22 plus himself, as happened here. Indeed, if some dude in the back row happened to be packing heat and tried to shoot back there would be the whole crossfire problem.

(Emphasis mine)

I hate it when people step outside their knowledge. I am sure the author knows a thing or two about political science, but don't try to project expertise in one area into another.

1. A crossfire "might" kill innocent people. An active shooter "will" kill innocent people. Do not confuse probability with certainty.

2. When the police arrive they are going to shoot the active shooter. Don't they have the same crossfire problem to contend with?

3. Most people in such a situation are going to try and get on the ground (or rarely they will run.) This action will reduce the crossfire problem, but will also increase the ability of the active shooter to inflict casualties.

From the same author: No Heat-Packing at Alabama Universities

As I have noted before (such as here, amongst other places), the notion that the solution to campus shootings is armed students and faculty is misguided, if anything because, as an official from Jacksonville State University noted

‘The probability of an accidental shooting is much higher than the need to have one to protect yourself.’

What is the factual basis for this assertion? Taking the word of a university official on matters of self-defense and firearms is like taking the word of a plumber on the benefits of vegetarian diet. The specific knowledge is outside of their professional domain.

Gordon Stone, executive director of the Alabama Higher Education Partnership, which lobbies on behalf of Alabama’s 13 public universities, said emotions can run high on campuses, and guns don’t need to be added to the mix.

A lobbyist is concerned that emotional passion will spill over into gunplay, and again their is no factual basis for this theory either. I hate to break it to the officials, professors, and lobbyists but there are already firearms on their campus. The police, the criminals, the crazies, and the students who perceive enough of a threat to carry firearms on campus are already doing so.