8% is pretty amazing when you consider that many of these events took place in "gun free" zones. I imagine that the numbers would be much higher if those target rich environments were eliminated.
Interesting point, but it can't be understated that a lot of these either didn't start or were wholly conducted in NON GFZs. Far too many people believe such events only happen in GFZs and that is FALSE
Other interesting and/or mythbusting observations
1 shooting was at a police station (people like to claim shootings never happen at police stations, this is just a most recent example). One of the police station deaths caused by friendly fire.
17 times (34%) the shooter exchanged gunfire with citizens and/or cops, killing and wounding many. - This is contrary to the popular belief that such shooters are "cowards" and will crumple at the first sign of armed resistance. That they may be considered "cowards" is a meaningless consideration. The issue isn't one of cowardice, but whether or not these people will fight back and they often do!
20 events in 2016 and 30 events in 17, a
50% increase in active shooting events as categorized by this study.
It was noted that in 8% (n=4) of the incidents that the shootings were
stopped by citizen use of firearms and that is cool, but it is not as cool as it sounds. Armed citizens attempted and/or engaged the shooters at least 7 times, not 4. However, the raw numbers don't really explain the stories and even at 8%, stop by citizen use of firearms is misrepresentative.
In one event, the shooter just fled the citizen and continued shooting elsewhere (described in OP cited report as "Multiple Locations in Clearlake Oaks, California).
In another, the citizen had drawn his gun and was attempting to engage the shooter when the citizen was gunned down, shot through both legs (Houston 2016). The citizen never managed to fire.
One of those armed citizens, a firefighter who possessed a permit, did not use his gun to stop little 14 year old Jesse Dewitte Osborne. The firefighter tackled the shooter.
https://www.independentmail.com/sto...-next-accused-killer-jesse-osborne/711610001/ In fact, it was originally thought that the firefighter was unarmed at the time of the event (because apparently his gun did not come into use)
http://www.wyff4.com/article/firefi...down-of-shooting-suspect-sheriff-says/7147424 So yeah, he was armed, but the gun is really a non issue and should not be considered as part of the 8% of armed citizens dealing with shooters because the gun had nothing to do with the incident. So 8% is really an overinflated number.
In another incident of citizen use of firearms, Rick Whited was shooting at cars on the highway about a half mile from Gateway Canyons General Store. Two armed security officers from GCGS were the first to respond, exchanged shots with Whited, and subdued him.
http://kdvr.com/2017/07/30/report-o...way-sheriff-urges-people-to-shelter-in-place/ So yeah, they weren't cops, but they were armed professionals, just your average Jane or Joe Blow citizen.
In this incident, the citizen use of a firearm is somewhat questionable. Unarmed Robert Engle attacked the church shooter and during the struggle, was pistolwhipped, but also during the struggle, the shooter shot himself in the chest. Engle then ran outside and got his own gun from his car, returned and held the down and out shooter at gunpoint.
Injured [pistol whipped] from his struggle with Samson, authorities said Engle went outside to his car to get his own registered gun, then went back into the church to stand guard over the wounded shooter until police arrived.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nashville-church-shooting-robert-caleb-engle-emanuel-samson/ https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/25/us/tennessee-church-shooting-hero-trnd/index.html So while a gun did come into play, it was AFTER the shooter had been brought down in a fight with the unarmed Engle because the shooter shot himself in the chest.
Next is the Sutherland Springs Church shooting where our citizen with a valid permit purported stopped the incident by his use of firearm. This is dubious. The shooter at Sutherland Springs was leaving the church, on foot, headed back to his car, when he was engaged by the citizen. Don't get me wrong, the citizen did quite well, but the church shooting was over. He engaged, shot, and ultimately helped play a part in the death of the shooter (who committed suicide after being wounded by the citizen) and is to be commended, but the did NOT stop the church shooting.
Schlenker Automotive shooting - great response by manager and employee to shooter who started shooting up their business from the parking lot
So before we pat ourselves on the back for armed citizens stopping active shooter events so often, bear in mind that the data are not nearly as good as they sound. I only see 3 events where the shooter was stopped by citizen use of firearms and 1 of those involved armed security guards, 1 involved a citizen stopping the shooter AFTER the church shooting, and 1 involve self defense of a business by the owner and employee. In one case, the fireman was armed, but tackled the gunboy and did not use a gun to stop the event. In another case, the shooter was stopped when he shot himself in the chest while fighting off an unarmed usher. In one case, the would be citizen hero just got shot, certainly not stopping the attack. And in the last case, a vendor defended himself and the shooter just moved to another location, the shooter not being stopped either.
