Armed Schools: Rhetoric vs. Reality

Rhetoric:

The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

I call on Congress today, to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation. And, to do it now to make sure that blanket safety is in place when our kids return to school in January.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

Reality:

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Neil Gardner soon would complete his second year as the uniformed community resource officer assigned to Columbine High School.  Gardner, a 15-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, normally ate his lunch with the students in the cafeteria during first lunch period.[...]

As soon as Gardner pulled into the south parking lot off of South Pierce Street, he saw kids running out of the school in every direction.  As he drove around toward the south lot, he also saw smoke coming from the west end of the parking lot and heard several loud explosions.  Students standing on the soccer field were pointing toward the building.  He could hear gunshots coming from inside the school but could not pinpoint from where.

Gardner pulled his vehicle into the senior parking lot where he had a good vantage point.  He could see both parking lots, the cafeteria and the second story west entrance to the school.  As he got out of his patrol car, he received a second call on the school radio.  “Neil, there’s a shooter in the school.”

Numerous patrol units and emergency vehicles already were responding to the school as the Sheriff’s dispatch center reported “female down” and “possible shots fired at Columbine High School.” There was so much traffic on the police radio that Gardner could not tell dispatch he was on scene.

As Gardner stepped out of his patrol car, Eric Harris turned his attention from shooting into the west doors of the high school to the student parking lot and to the deputy.  Gardner, particularly visible in the bright yellow shirt of the community resource officer uniform, was the target of Harris’ bullets. Harris fired about 10 shots from his rifle at Gardner before his gun jammed. Although Gardner’s patrol car was not hit by bullets, two vehicles that he was parked behind were hit by Harris’ gunfire.  Investigators later found two bullet holes in each of the cars.

Officer Exchanges Gunfire

Gardner, seeing Harris working with his gun, leaned over the top of the car and fired four shots.  He was 60 yards from the gunman.  Harris spun hard to the right and Gardner momentarily thought he had hit him. Seconds later, Harris began shooting again at the deputy.

After the exchange of gunfire, Harris ran back into the building. Gardner was able to get on the police radio and called for assistance from other Sheriff’s units. “Shots in the building.  I need someone in the south lot with me.”

Even with an armed, 15-year police veteran assigned specifically to the school, the two Columbine shooters killed 12 students, 1 teacher and injured 21 on April 20, 1999.

Wayne LaPierre's Plan B is another monumental right-wing failure.