Guns Save Lives – by Dan Cannon
We have the first documented case of someone being killed at a Target store (in the parking lot in this case) since the company asked gun owners not to carry in the stores (this was a request, not a ban).
According to ABC7,
Authorities say the shooting happened at Hatteras Street and Sepulveda Boulevard at about 5 a.m. A man in his 40s was rushed to Holy Cross Medical Center, where he died. His name has not been released.
A suspect was arrested, and a weapon has been recovered. He was also taken to a local hospital because police suspected he was under the influence of drugs.
The victim was part of a cleaning crew who was working in the parking lot at the time of the incident. The suspect was believed to be on “bath salts”, a popular synthetic drug.
We’re not trying to necessarily say that Target’s request caused this murder or an increase in violent crime around Target stores as that would require compiling before and after statistics, but it is clear that criminals, mentally ill people, and violent drug users certainly don’t care about Target’s request. Only law abiding gun owners would consider adherence to the request.
Target asked its customers not to carry firearms into their stores in a statement released last month. However, the store did not ban firearms, as clarified by the following statement made to The Columbian,
Molly Snyder, a Target spokeswoman, said the retailer will not post signs at its stores asking people not to bring guns inside. “It is not a ban,” she said. “There is no prohibition.”
She said the company decided to make this statement after hearing from people on all sides of this issue.