An Eyewitness Account From Omaha

I have no way of verifying that it is by someone that was actually there, but it is plausible, and there are details here that while politically comfortable, are by no means perfect: the eyewitness has taken the class to apply for a concealed handgun license, but has not bothered to apply, because he didn't think he would ever need one. (He has changed his mind.) Over at Joe's Crabby Shack:

I heard gunshots, about 8. I knew exactly what they were, but my brain didn't want me to believe it.

I looked towards the escalators because it sounded like they came from there. I could not place the direction the shots came from because I was surrounded by 4 walls and standing nearly in a corner.

I stood there for maybe 8 seconds (time enough to change a magazine), then I heard several more shots. Somehow, then I focused in on the shooter. He was towards the south wall, in the east corner, maybe 30 degrees to my left. He was about 30 yards away. He was shooting towards the west and I had a nice side view of him.

...

Honestly, and as God as my witness, when I saw him shooting and as watched for a few seconds trying to figure out what he was going to do and what I should do, the thought that when through my mind was, “If I had a gun, I have a perfect shot.”

Yes, a perfect shot. I had a full side profile, I was close, and no one was visible behind him execept a wall. I had a clear shot during the second round of fire. I told this to every cop I came in contact with. The interviewer agreed.

When I realized that I had no gun, fear instantly struck me, along with anger, and severe panic.

...

I do not have a Concealed Handgun Permit. I have completed the training class, but I keep putting off applying for the permit because I think it is useless. In the places I would need a gun most, I am not allowed to have it. I will not be a person living in fear and not go to Van Maur because they don’t allow guns.

My point that Open Carry needs to be easier in Omaha, and places like Westroads need to take down their “no guns” signs.

If I had my gun deeply concealed, I wouldn’t have been able to draw it very fast. However, If I had open carried, I could of drawn instantly.

Either way though, I could have drawn and taken a clean shot. However, in both cases, regardless of the laws, I am not allowed to carry a gun at all in Westroads Mall. If the laws did not oppress my rights, I would carry a gun most places (except work). I would certainly have had it in the mall as mall shootings have been on my mind since the incident at a mall involving a shotgun back in February.

My wife is somewhat cautious about guns as is my sister-in-law. After this event, both are now pro-guns. In addition, I will never again be caught without a gun.