How I know armed guards in public buildings won't work

[JohnnyRingo]

Donald Trump said that if there was an armed guard in that synagogue he would have shot the gunman and it would be over. Donald Trump watches too many movies.

A sidearm is no match for an assault rifle, and pulling one on such an assailant is a sure way to make one's self the next target. Trump must think a guard can draw, fire, and watch as the gunman spins twice and hits the ground with only enough remaining breath to utter a memorable quote before going limp.

In reality, such a determined killer will take several body shots while returning hi-power flesh tearing rounds in fast succession. No one but the bravest wants to be a dead hero. Most hourly security guards would wisely follow the others running to safety. I know I would.

In the case of Pittsburgh, four trained SWAT team members took wounds from the gunman before he finally succumbed (probably out of ammo). A security guard with a pistol could only serve as a bullet magnet while others fled.

In Denver where the gunman entered through the back door dressed as The Joker, it was Colorado. I'm sure there were concealed guns in that theater, but not one person tried to shoot back. Not one.

Maybe Trump meant churches should have a belt fed M30 mounted machine gun nest behind the alter trained on the pews. That might deter a mass shooting, but...

As an aside Trump also cited "bringing back the death penalty" as a sure way to stop these suicidal killers. Pennsylvania does have capital punishment, so what went wrong?

[malaise]

1. Four cops were shot on Saturday including two from Swat

Which one guard could take him on?

[Blue_true]

4. I don't think that I read that the shooter had on body armor.

Imagine if he did. He took down SWAT officers without it. I saw video once of a violent bank robbery team that were armed with assault rifles and had on body armor. Police, some with assault rifles, others with shotguns were pouring rounds at one of the guys and he just kept firing, he actually semi escaped from the firefight but was cornered a little ways away and finally brought down after another firefight with now heavily armed police SWAT team members.

[JohnnyRingo]

6. That was the beginning of a new era.

When police arrived at the scene armed with service revolvers, they quickly realized they were outgunned. Most just hunkered behind cruisers squeezing off a few shots while the gunmen walked unimpeded down the street spraying automatic fire in their general direction. The gunmen took a few hits but they continued on.

A few resourceful cops went to a nearby sporting goods store and commandeered assault rifles and jacketed ammo so they could match the robbers firepower and armor. Now, almost every squad car has one at the ready. Sad to say, it's the country we live in.

[Blue_true]

2. One time a survivor of a mass shooting described what the sounds of the firing

from an assault weapon seemed like. He said that first it freezes your mind, like a deer in headlights. If a person is not dead from freezing, the survivor said that when the flee reflex returns, there is no sense of where to run to since the sound is echoing everywhere. Finally the survivor said that he just ran and hoped that he was not running into the person firing. I honestly have no idea of what I would do in a mass shooting, likely I would act like the survivor of one and maybe I would come out of it alive.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Oh it "works" all right...

at selling more guns.

You're right about the outcome of most altercations, of course.

[struggle4progress]

5. Oh, if only The Don had been there with his Secret Decoder Ring! He could have rushed inside

to save the day, just as we know he could have rushed inside to stop the gunman that Florida school, if only he could have gotten there on time!