One reason “NO GUNS” signage is a bad idea that we hadn’t considered… We knew that they attract bad people, but had not considered they might *trigger* a spree attack.
Well, bet you haven’t seen much of this in the mainstream media outside of Philadelphia:
(Philadelphia Daily News) – NOTHING WAS GOING to stop Richard Plotts from carrying a gun.
Not the law, not his felony record, not his questionable mental health and certainly not a sign.
Plotts, who shot and killed his caseworker and shot his doctor at a Delaware County hospital campus Thursday, may have done so because he was offended by the hospital’s policy against guns, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan said.
“There’s evidence that he took offense to the issue that there were signs posted at Mercy Fitzgerald Health System indicating that it was a gun-free zone,” Whelan said. “That’s the only motive we have been able to determine at this point in time . . . he was upset about that policy.”
…”We believe he was there and he was going to reload that revolver and continue to fire and continue to kill,” Whelan said.
This guy didn’t have a carry permit, didn’t care about the law against unlawfully carrying guns, and he sure as hell didn’t care about the sign posted at the entrance to this hospital.
If you’re a business owner or manager, ask yourself: “Do I want to let bad guys know there probably aren’t any good guys with guns here?”
If you don’t care, that’s fine. Darwin will take care of you someday.
Don’t make your employees suffer the consequences of your poor decision-making though.
The good news to come out of the event, for the doctor who shot the would-be spree-killer with a lawfully-owned (but carried in violation of hospital policy), he will be keeping his job.
Here’s a statement from the hospital’s Facebook page:
We are thankful for the swift action of Dr. Lee Silverman, Dr. Jeffrey Dekret, John D’Alonzo and the other colleagues and visitors who took brave and difficult action during yesterday’s tragic event. We extend our condolences to Theresa Hunt’s family, and we are praying for Dr. Silverman’s speedy recovery. We look forward to Dr. Silverman’s return to serving patients at our hospital. We will do all we can to support the victims during this difficult time.
That hospital hunting preserve just became a whole lot more dangerous by the hospital’s “say nothing” statement about their policy.
Seriously? This person has a criminal history and a history of mental illness, but that’s the best motive the district attorney can come up with? Sounds more like an attempt to paint those who oppose “gun free zones” as mentally unstable and dangerous. Spin, spin, spin.
Exactly what I was thinking 🙁 Tough one for them to come up with something to spin since the good guy with the gun saved the day but you knew they had to try.
Thing is will they continue to let him carry? If not I would be looking for someplace that would
I thought that to,irate over the policy.