Thwarted Mass-Shooting Affirms Anti-Gunners Oppose ‘Common Sense’ Legislation

Anti-gunners have no middle ground regarding “common sense” gun laws. The only think they find sensible is an outright ban on firearms. Even when armed citizens rightfully stop potential carnage, anti-gunners only find bad in it.

They oppose anyone owning and bearing firearms in any kind of a public setting. That is true even when faced with anecdotal evidence affirming the common sense of enabling armed citizens to protect themselves outside of the home.

An example of such anecdotal evidence happened on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in White Settlement, Texas. That morning, West Freeway Church of Christ parishioner Jack Wilson did something no police officer ever could without blind luck playing a massive role. Wilson, 71, stopped a potential mass shooting while it was in progress. It took him about six seconds and he saved countless lives.

That morning, Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43, used an illegally obtained shotgun to kill two parishioners. He murdered church deacon Tony Wallace, 64, and parishioner Richard “Rich” White. Wilson shot Kinnunen dead with a single shot to the head.

Wilson was one of several parishioners armed with handguns. He is a former reserve deputy sheriff and firearms instructor.

Wilson said White also was armed and tried to stop Kinnunen. White drew his pistol and got off a shot that struck a wall as he took a shotgun blast from Kinnunen. Wilson said Kinnunen then presented a face shot. He took it and killed him.

Kinnunen, was a criminal with a long history of aggravated assaults and firearms violations in several states. He could not legally own or obtain a firearm. Yet, he managed to get a shotgun that he used to kill two and likely intended to shoot more.

Kinnunen was homeless and reportedly had grown angry over church officials denying him cash. The church had supported him in the past.

Despite laws against his ownership and prior convictions, Kinnunen still obtained a firearm. That is anecdotal proof that criminals always can get firearms when they really want them.

The church shooting also is proof that gun-free zones, like most religious locations and gatherings, do not stop deadly attacks. If anything, they encourage them.

Fortunately, the new Texas law allowed churchgoers to begin carrying firearms. Wilson is a member of his church’s armed security team. So was White. Both immediately acted to stop Kinnunen after he killed the church deacon.

Wilson and White proved armed citizens are the best defense against truly evil people intent on causing mass casualties. Those who oppose firearms ownership, open-carry, and CCW laws would have disarmed both men.

A recently published opinion piece in USA Today abhors the fact the church had armed parishioners. The anti-gun writer foolishly wonders if our society has “reached the point” where people need to be armed wherever they go. Common sense says we never left that point. It always has and always will exist, because people like Kinnunen always have and always will exist.

Anti-gunners refuse to acknowledge simple common sense – an armed society is one in which a majority of good people bear arms. Those good people only use their firearms to thwart bad folk intent on doing very bad things.

Wilson, White, and other armed parishioners at the West Freeway Church of Christ affirm the common sense of enabling law-abiding citizens to arm themselves for general self-defense and preservation of life. That is far more effective than declaring “gun-free zones” that too often prove false.