"More guns" is NOT the answer

If we needed any further convincing that a more heavily armed society is not the answer to gun violence in America, I offer this anecdote as further evidence.

District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife were shot dead in their home in the early morning a few weeks ago.    Just eight weeks earlier, his Assistant DA was also killed by an unknown gunman.   It is not known whether it was the same person who killed them.

What we do know is that, after the first death, DA McLelland called together his staff and warned them all to take extra precautions, because there was the suspicion it could have been a revenge assassination by someone who had been prosecuted by the office.

So the DA and his wife were on high alert themselves, although they did not change their routines.   But it is also known, according to their son, that his father kept between five and six dozen different types of firearms in the house.

"There were guns hidden all over the house. . .   Behind doors, everywhere.   He could have been standing next to a .40-caliber Glock and you would not have known it.  When they said he got shot, it was unbelievable because he was so well-armed and so well-versed in guns."

Not only Mr. McLelland.   His wife had gone through required courses and received her permit to carry a concealed weapon about a year ago.

So here we have a top law-enforcement officer and his wife, both trained and adept at using guns, highly suspicious that they might be attacked, but still murdered in their own home that had multiple guns hidden within easy reach throughout the house.

What would more guns have done to prevent this double murder?

And remember:   statistics show that, when there is a gun in the house, a member of that household is more likely to be killed with that very gun than is an intruder.   Of course, that includes a lot of suicides.   But isn't that part of the reason not to have them around?

Stop and think of this fact:   You think you need a gun for your family's protection, so you buy one.   But your wife, your child, a neighbor child, or even you, are the most likely targets that will die by that gun.   I wrote just last week of the law official who was showing off his gun collection to family members, when his little 6 year old nephew ran into the room, picked up one of the guns and pulled the trigger.   The official's wife was killed in that accident -- even though several adults were standing right there;  it just happened too fast.

A loaded gun, a curious child:   that's all it takes.   And someone beloved is dead.

Ralph