Opinion
Tombstone, Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)- Mass murder is often a suicide by cowards who are afraid to go alone.
Such appears to be the case in the tragedy which unfolded on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, two days before Thanksgiving, when a Walmart night supervisor in Chesapeake, Virginia, walked into the store’s break room with a pistol and opened fire. Witnesses say he said nothing, just started shooting people. One employee who had just started working at the store said he pointed the gun at her and just told her to go home. He killed six others and wounded several more before turning the gun on himself and ending his own life. Police later found a message on his phone describing his intention to kill himself and asking God to forgive him for the others who were going to die with him. The note included claims that other Walmart employees made fun of him and disrespected him.
None of the people that he named in the message as his tormentors were among the people he killed.
Of course, the murders triggered media and Democratic politicians into rants about the need for more restrictive gun control measures, particularly a ban on so-called “assault weapons,” ignoring the fact that the killer used a handgun. None offered any suggestions for specific measures likely to have had any impact on this particular tragedy. Instead, they fumed about “assault weapons” and the lack of sufficient “gun safety laws” and those who block their efforts to pass them. Reports suggest that the killer purchased his gun that morning, so we’ll no doubt see calls for “waiting periods,” along with claims that such a “cooling off period” might have given the murderer time to seek help or change his mind.
That’s a pretty big “might have.” There’s evidence suggesting that this does happen occasionally. Still, there’s also evidence suggesting that in many cases, once a decision to commit suicide or murder has been made, a bureaucratic delay is just as likely to stiffen the person’s resolve and possibly push someone on the brink into being even more aggressive in their efforts, as it is to cause them to reconsider their decision. Humans are obstinate and don’t like being told no. Historically, we’ve seen that many, if not most, mass murderers begin planning their crime weeks, months, or even years in advance of committing the act.
The murderer, in this case, apparently had no serious criminal record or any other disqualifying factor in his history which might have kept him from buying a gun. The fact that he got quick approval from the state’s criminal background check system when he purchased the gun that morning attests to the truth of those reports. Still, so-called “universal background checks” are one of the gun control extremists’ top priorities.
To them, the idea that you or I could sell a gun to a friend or neighbor without the benefit of a government permission slip is beyond comprehension.
The key thing that these gun control extremists – including politicians and media pundits – can’t seem to grasp is that guns don’t cause crime or violent actions.
Culture and mental issues do. For over thirty years, the US experienced consistent declines in violent crime, even as gun laws were liberalized around the country, and the number of guns in private hands rose exponentially. Violent crime rates fell to historic lows before the pandemic and the Democrats’ summer of “fiery, but mostly peaceful protests” when their “justice reforms,” “bail reforms,” and efforts to defund the police started pushing the numbers back up again. Despite the recent bump, violent crime rates remain well below the rates we experienced in the early ‘90s.
One thing this murder spree highlights once again is the foolishness of so-called “gun-free zones” and company policies that forbid guns in the workplace. Last June, I happened to notice the following question on Quora, a popular internet question and answer site:
“Can Walmart employees carry concealed weapons?”
In my reply to that question, I asserted that YES, anyone can carry concealed almost anywhere if they choose to. I went on to say that carrying might be illegal or a violation of company policy, but unless there are extraordinary security measures in place, such as metal detectors or pat-downs, and as long as the person doesn’t display their “concealed” firearm, then yes, they can carry. Then I explained the flawed logic that suggests that putting up a sign or instituting a policy somehow compels people to behave in accordance with that sign or policy. I suggested that these signs are just as absurd as posting signs declaring “No Illegal Activity Allowed.”
A Walmart employee chimed in to say that in her experience, employees are not supposed to carry in their “home store,” with exceptions for some managers in stores that sell guns. Somehow I didn’t find that reassuring.
It turns out that the murderer in Chesapeake had raised concerns among some of the employees. One of the employees who were in the break room when the attack began escaped by running out the door and has now filed a lawsuit against Walmart. In the suit, she claims that she filed a formal complaint about the murderer two months prior to the shooting and that her mother spoke with a Walmart manager on the same day that the complaint was filed, expressing concern for her daughter’s safety, but was told that higher managers liked the man, and so, punitive action was unlikely.
The suit claims Walmart and its local managers were negligent for failing to take any action against the night supervisor who later launched the attack. Given the circumstances, it’s easy to assume fault on Walmart’s part. Still, from the complaint, it sounds like the typical sort of grumping that managers and supervisors regularly receive from employees, complaining about “inappropriate” comments and “threatening” behavior. Employers and managers are obligated to look into such charges. Still, unless there are similar complaints filed or supported by a number of employees, it’s unrealistic to expect any drastic action. Most of us who have ever managed or supervised others have received baseless complaints about others’ “inappropriate” or “unfair” behavior toward subordinates.
The sad reality is that a few people lose their minds, but some do.
The number of people who experience total breakdown is, fortunately, a tiny fragment of the population. Still, the actions of a tiny few can dominate headlines for weeks and drive policy debates for years. Hindsight being 20/20, it’s easy to look back on an incident and think the warning signs should have been obvious, but things are rarely that clear in real time. Though virtually all rampage murderers display some warning signs in advance, similar “warning signs” are often shown by a huge number of people who are just a bit “odd” and never go on to engage in any violence. I recall that back in my military days, one of the operators in a neighboring section was voted “Most Likely to Murder His Section Mates with a Fire Axe.” The “award” was based on the guy having a rather dark sense of humor and some quirky ways about him. He and I are still friends with occasional contact on Facebook some forty years later, and he has yet to even threaten anyone with a fire axe or any other weapon.
Regardless of what weapon one of these people chooses, whether a pistol, rifle, knife, sword, vehicle, explosive, gasoline and matches or something else, the blame should be laid on the person, not the tool.
What remains clear is that policies forbidding guns, laws restricting guns, and regulations burdening the tens of millions of gun owners who will never harm anyone can never prevent these terrible tragedies from happening. Perhaps the most effective method of prevention is a smile and an open ear. Let’s try to keep that in mind as we deal with the “odd” people around us every day.
About Jeff Knox:
Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father, Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.
The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona, and Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org.
The last company I worked for (15 years) before I retired had a no forearms policy on the property. I carried concealed everyday, On my last day of employment which was without 2 weeks notice. I informed the my supervisor, Company manager, HR and Security mangers just how worthless their security policy and procedures were. By informing them of the fact that I had carried everyday, The shock on their faces was worth the price of admission. No job is worth losing your life for. ..
did you get a picture???? would be worth millions
I bet the picture would have looked something like this…
You hit this on the head. If only we could get this message out in the main stream media.
“The sad reality is that a few people lose their minds, but some do. “ most of them work in the media or politics.
they have never had a mind to loose
Brilliant!
They have the message, they just ignore it.
Every good liberal knows homicide only started with the invention of the firearm. Lol
Maybe we need to point out to liberals that Cain didn’t have a gun when he killed Abel.
and further, that God did not even bother to mention WHAT tool was used We also know that God never banned the tOOL but He did certainly banish the one who misused that tool.
Some lessons there for our would be overlords……
I have been saying for many years that you cannot legislate human behavior. There are already laws enough covering every conceivable violation, yet people still commit crimes every day. If an evil person is intent on committing an evil act, they will almost certainly find a way, and it is very unlikely anyone will be around and available at just the right moment to stop them.
Choco…..and THAT is why we must carry EVERYDAY, EVERYWHERE, EVERYTIME!! Oh… AND be already trained and proficient in the use of your tools.
I’d like to expand on waiting periods. If we look at history, mass killings for which perpetrators planned have been far worse than those which were not planned. Seems like a “duh” comment as it is so obvious — yet all waiting periods do is force killers to take time to plan their attack. Somehow that doesn’t seem like a positive to me.
Not to mention those who discover need for self protection and are unable to procure it in a timely manner.
If there was a waiting period then the reports would be “he just picked up his handgun this morning after the mandated 3,10, 30, 90 day waiting period. You can’t satisfy the leftist media however hard you try.
Maryland has a DUMB IDIOTIC WAITING period of SEVEN(7) days. Plus you have to pay your HANDGUN QUALIFICATION LICENSE TAXATION(without representation) —- BEFORE you can buy a handgun OR an AR/AK style(IF NOT ON THE LIST) rifle! This takes time as well.
And just a few miles up & down the road across those imaginary lines to the neighboring States, NONE of that applies. lol
You don’t suppose by some wild stretch of imagination this guy was on some sort of SSRI medication do you? Naaa…that can’t be. OR CAN IT??
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2022/07/mark-reynolds/the-ssri-connection-to-suicides-spontaneous-murder-and-mass-shootings/
Remember, he was “INSULTED”!!
To add on to your very observant thoughts, here’s some more info.
A few weeks prior to his death, John Noveske posted to Facebook a very long list of mass murderers / shootings, along with the prescribed drugs that they were on. You can find a copy of that by doing a Google search: “John Noveske Facebook post”, click on the link that sends you to ar15.com.
Very interesting reading. I know that this is his info, as I received it in my Facebook feed back in the day(I have long since deleted my Facebook page) Makes you think.
Be aware that there are some places in some states or cities where failure to comply with a “thou shalt not” notice constitutes trespassing.
United States District Judge Sinatra opined in a recent decision that “[n]othing in this decision purports to impact the traditional property right to exclude others, so long as the property owner (not the State) is the one actually exercising that right.”.
This means that, where one is trespassed in a no-guns zone, The State can not be the one who takes action. It must be the no-gun zone owner who has skin in that game and “exercises” his right to exclude trespassers. The one who “exercises” their 2nd Amendment right, can not be acted upon by the State.
HLB
Generally speaking, they will just ask you to leave. Even if they call the police, they will even ask you to leave, they might issue you a trespass warning / notice for the first “offence”. Rarely would you be arrested. That’s the way it works in my state. It’s your duty to know the laws in your state I’d rather be guilty of trespassing and have a fighting chance to defend myself, than to have no chance at all. The key is to carry very concealed, and not let ANYONE know. Be very discreet. I Don’t wear anything that gives… Read more »
Well, you just told the world and now the CIA, FBI, NSA, KGB, IRS, ATF has you on their radar. LOL!
I have been on their radar for years. So far, no shots fired.
HLB
While alphabet boys are important, @Trussman is staying off the radar of his neighbors and other potential “karens”. Those people probably present his largest risk – up to and including getting swatted by karen offended by him having a gun.
As for governmental actors, all they can tell from post above is that he has at least one firearm. For all we know he’s got a large collection including unregistered NFA items, an automated ammo factory, and “ghost guns” along with more pedestrian items.
My DOWN VOTE does not have a count!!
I’m not worried. All the guns I USED TO HAVE are now buried in my neighbors back yard… and he doesn’t know it!!
No unregistered NFA items, not looking for jail time.
No “ghost guns”
I do not condone the possession of illegal firearms, it makes it harder on all the rest of us.
All I’ll say is, beware of the old man that only owns a few guns, and shoots them regularly, because he knows how to use them well.
True. HOWEVER, this also explains how the CIA, FBI, NSA, KGB, IRS, ATF and the DOinJ carries concealed daily.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’ve been “on their radar” since before the 1986 ban on the manufacture of new machineguns for sale to the public. (read between the lines if you can) I have nothing to hide from them. I don’t have nor do I condone the possession of any illegal weapons. (that’s just asking for trouble) I didn’t offer any illegal advise in my post, just prudent advice for anyone looking to not become a target of an overactive shopper, neighbor, co-worker, thief, or anyone that might follow you home because of what image that you might… Read more »
Wow. I try to be discreet, but generally fail spectacularly. Exception being when I am carrying I am discreet – guess I better start carrying all the time (24/7).
I had a friend that was always wearing firearms related clothing, hats, had stickers plastered on his truck. Got followed home from the grocery and pushed into his house.
Changed all my habits 30 years ago. My P365 leaves my body when I turn back the covers.
Yes! If/when they ‘discover’ you, the LEAVE IMMEDIATELY! Don’t waste your time and breathe discussing how you have a right, you’ll never shop here again, his store is dangerous, etc, etc. You think he’s going to change his mind and let you stay???? Don’t be a rude, ignorant , dumbass. LEAVE- and you’ll be gone before the cops even arrive….which they probably will, if you want to argue…..,
100%, because as a very wise man once told me, “no body ever wins an argument, it’s best not to get into one”
In 2012, Walmart asked me to leave. I talked to them and I still go there with my weapon now as I did then.
HLB
I think we all should play “Let’s Pretend…the games children play. https://courageouslion380.substack.com/p/lets-play-lets-pretend
Concealed Carry. Wallmart.
“…as long as the person doesn’t display their “concealed” firearm, then yes, they can carry.”.
Each and every time I walk in to Walmart, I carry a weapon.
So how is it that I can carry? Because I hide it? No. Because I do it – openly.
Looks like I hold my 2nd and 14th Amendment rights above the concealed carry “right” that others hide behind.
HLB
There is CURRENTLY an HONORABLE Military Gentleman from VA who is currently being PROSECUTED— even though he did not show his handgun when he STOPPED Murders!!! KUDOS to the Gentleman. I pray his case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE!!
I use to carry openly but stopped because if I was in a place that a shooter wanted to shoot up a place, I might the the first shot at. I have seen a few open carry go into Walmart here. When I leave the house, I always have it on me. Better to have it not need it than to need and not have it.