BELLEVUE, WA – The tragic church shooting Sunday in White Settlement, Texas in which church members fatally shot the gunman reminded MetroEast citizens about a similar situation ten years ago at the First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois. The church's pastor was killed while preaching during a Sunday morning service. Other parishioners were injured when the shooter pulled a knife on them and then himself after his firearm jammed.
No one at First Baptist Church of Maryville produced a weapon in defense that fateful day, although it is legal for those with an Illinois Concealed Carry Weapon license to do so – unless the church bans carrying firearms on its property.
Sunday's shooting in a Texas church provides more evidence that good guys with guns are necessary to stop bad guys, and that armed citizens can protect soft targets, the Second Amendment Foundation said Monday.
“This horrible shooting was live streamed, and shows how the killer was taken down within a few seconds of firing the first shot,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “If one pays attention to the video, it appears that at least six and possibly seven members of the congregation drew sidearms to defend their fellow church members, and at least one member identified in published reports as part of the church security team fired a shot that took the gunman down.”
Gottlieb, co-author of the book, “Good Guys With Guns,” expressed sorrow that two members of the congregation were killed.
“Regrettably,” he stated, “there were casualties among the church goers, but in the flash of seconds, it is obvious that many more lives were saved by the quick action of a church member who was fortunately armed as a member of the church security team. Had it not been for his quick action and accurate shooting, this could have been much, much worse.”
Texas law allows church goers to be armed, a fact Gottlieb cited as crucial to saving lives.
“The fact that so many other church members were also armed, and did not open fire, demonstrates how responsibly armed citizens can perform in an emergency,” Gottlieb observed. “The video belies the oft-repeated myth that armed citizens are irresponsible and even dangerous to one another, which is something we address in ‘Good Guys With Guns’.”
“We don’t know what motivates someone to open fire on a peaceful church congregation,” Gottlieb said. “But thanks to the video, we know what stops them.”
The attacker in the 2009 Maryville incident has been in state-run mental hospital since then. He was diagnosed as psychotic and denied knowing the pastor or church members. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity in July 2015.
Illinois' newly-enacted "red flag law" allows family members and law enforcement to confiscate firearms from those feared to be dangerous.
"Illinois is a shall-issue state, meaning that Illinois State Police must issue a concealed carry license if the applicant meets certain qualifications. However, Illinois differs from other states in that it still gives law enforcement the right to object to a concealed carry license being issued if they think the applicant is a danger to public safety or himself/herself," the US Concealed Carry website says.
If the police do object, then the case is heard by the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board, who will make the final decision as to whether or not a license is issued. The applicant is notified by mail of the Board’s decision. There is an appeal process.
