itsjustme; the perp didn't read the sign, that's how. Butch; not everyone is a quick draw artist, although some have practiced it in the past. Speed would not have been as important in CO as accuracy would have been. To the majority of you that have CHCP's; shooting at targets is one thing; real life situations are quite another. No one never knows what's going to happen when and if a situtation like this comes up. It may be the quiet one like Butch's friend that saves the day; and he may also freeze up in such a situation. The same holds true for what Butch calls the braggart; he may be the one that saves the day, and he may be the one that freezes up - we never know. What I am certain of is practice makes perfect. It's an old saying; and it rings true as far as accuracy with weapons is concerned. But really - we never know if it's the braggart or the quiet one that will be the hero, or the goat. NativeSon; I agree with your last sentence. Here in Jax, the AFCU and Jax Water Commission do not allow weapons. I asked why; the response I recieved from both was they would rather have people ( customers and employess ) hurt by criminals than have people hurt by law abiding citizens with permits to carry. Now, I use the drive thru. Butch; you are correct; life is a risk; but we can improve our odds by doing certain things. What was it the Doors said; No one here gets out alive? But I'd like to enjoy as much of it as I can, do as much good as I can, before I'm called by my Maker. So I choose to carry. Does it increase my odds of living longer? No one knows the answer to that question; does it increase the odds of me stopping a crime; I'd like to think so, but again, no one knows. Like every other story on this site; we can debate back and forth all day long, but in the end, we all will retain our own opinions. Peace everyone.

CCW permits are basically a tax on your constitutional rights. And my understanding of concealed is to hide,keep secret yet the people who have these things want everybody to know it.

Just what the world needs. Another bunch of quick draw artist. The ones I love are the ones that always shoot off their mouth. It's all they can shoot off. Can I shoot. I'm a veteran and I don't really know if I can and don't care to learn if I can. I have a friend that carries all the time. I've never heard him talk about or show his at anytime. I'm with him a lot and I haven't seen it. That is the one that has the ability to handle things. Not a braggart.

If the theater had a ban on weapons, then how does one get in with all of the guns he had, a gas mask and the gas canisters? It is hard to conceal items like that. As far as the concealed permit issue, labrat has no clue. Just because a person is donning body armour, does not mean there arent any vulnerable targets on their body not exposed. Body armour is basically designed to protect vital organs. However, there are various angles that one could shoot from to hit the shooter and do damage. And even if he was wearing a "SWAT helmet", it does not fully protect the head. So yes, a well trained and educated person could have indeed stopped this a-hole with a handgun.

@labrat1975- I can tell by yourcomment you are not a shooter and the only thing you know about it is what you see on telvision, but you are right about one thng, it's not like in the movies. Shooting inreality is more precise. The shooter in Colorado was not a trained shooter either, he was a Hollywood shooter, which is a good thing. Had he been a trained shooter the death toll would have been much higher, but for all his planning he failed to understand he basics of shooting. All he knew about shooting was what he saw in movies; gun held waiste high and spouting lead while being moved from left to right and as a reslt hi rifle jammed. An experienced shooter would have been more precise with his shots and the damage would have been ten times worse. Had there been an experienced shooter (CCL holder or off duty police officer, etc) present and armed, the odds of them taking this guy out early would have been about 90%, realistically. A trained shooter would have known how to judge the effects of his shot before it was fired because they never fire blindly. People like the ones who own the theater never understand you can only ban gun use from law abiding people, you can't ban them from those intent on destruction. I would rather have ten trained shooters armed in my place of business than one who doesn't know how to handle a firearm.

labrat1975 you are so wrong. CCW could have made all the differance. Most CCW holders PRACTICE shooting thier weapon. I CAN EMTPY MY ENTIRE CLIP AND PLACE EVERY SHOOT INSIDE AND AREA OF A COFFEE CAN LID 25 FEET AWAY. That is smaller than a persons head and a head shot is what I would be going for with a person wearing full body armor. Crossfire???? Shooting back is not a crossfire.

@labrat. First of all proper training will teach you about watching you back drop what is behind your target.and yes the guy was wearing body armor but. A single shot to the head or a pair to the pelvic region would have stopped the shooter in his tracks. Who know but this place was probably targeted since he knows no one will be armed. The theater took away the customers right to defend themselfs. If I see a place that won't allow me to carry I go to the next My family and I will not be a victim.

@charlie c: Your CCW wouldn't have amounted to a hill of beans at the Aurora, CO shooting. The nut was wearing full body armor and firing an AR-15 style rifle directly into the crowd. The entire shooting only lasted a few minutes. Your handgun wouldn't have done anything but create crossfire, and I doubt you or any other person would have done anything but duck like the rest of the theater patrons. You're not Rambo, and life isn't an action movie.

I have a CCW and use it every day. If more people would get legal and carry the nut jobs like in Colorado would have had a very different outcome. In this day and age you better be prepared or you will become a statistic.

I have a concealed carry license and I carry everywhere I go. Do I disarm before entering, say, a bank or any other place which has the "no handgun" signs? Yes, but keep in mind those people that are so inclined to do something like in Aurora target these "no handgun" places because the law abiding citizens within are not armed. Easy targets. Remember the church that was robbed at gunpoint in LR last year during Sunday school?