The sad reality of the world is that we live in a world in which some people do not value human life.
It’s beyond disturbing that some people can get so angry that it seems acceptable to them in the moment to take the life of another person who isn’t a threat to their own lives.
But that is the world that we live in, and that is a major reason why we carry: to protect the innocent from people like that.
Unfortunately, in Louisiana, a mass shooting happened recently that is an example of the worst of the worst, in terms of who was involved and why. Suheir Sheikh, Brad Brooks, and Rich McKay write,
Shreveport police said on Monday that they were working to determine why a man shot and killed seven of his children and an eighth child the day before, but said the eruption of violence appeared to be part of an ongoing domestic dispute.
A domestic dispute escalated to him killing seven of his own children and an eighth child, too?
Yes, it looks that way.
Mass shootings are horrible situations, but killing children is beyond the pale. And killing your own children? I lack words to describe how evil that is.
And in case there was any question about the shooter, Shamar Elkins…
Elkins was convicted in 2019 of illegal use of a firearm, police said, a felony that should have prevented him from owning a gun. The New York Times reported that a driver flashed a handgun at him and he responded by firing his gun five times, striking the driver’s car. Reuters could not immediately verify that account.
It sounds like Elkins had a history with firearms that indicates that he didn’t pay much attention to safety, and his felony firearms conviction should (according to gun control advocates) have prevented him from getting another gun.
Clearly, that gun control didn’t save the lives of eight children.
The fact of the matter is that gun control won’t protect innocent people from people who are willing to kill their own children over a domestic dispute. Only being able to shoot back to stop the threat saves lives in this type of situation.
Make sure that you can protect your family and yourself. Train and carry everyday.