Even if you don’t watch the news, it’s impossible to escape the news of active shooter situations scattered across the United States in the past few months and years. Some gun owners are motivated to get their CCW permits in direct response to the prevalence of dangerous situations, like active shooters, in today’s day and age. When you’re sorting through social media posts and anecdotal evidence, it’s hard to find the truth about armed citizens and active shooters.
Armed Citizens Can Prevent Mass Shootings
A recent study from the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) found that, in 360 active shooter situations between 2014-2021, armed citizens were able to stop 34.4% of them. In the past year, that number rose to an astonishing 49.1%. Armed citizens who are legally carrying are able to react and respond in a variety of situations where police are not, as it’s unrealistic to expect an armed police officer to be right around the corner every time something happens.
The connection between armed citizens and active shooters was highlighted in a recent shooting on July 17, 2022, in Greenwood, Indiana. An active shooter situation in a mall ended within 15 seconds of the start of the attack thanks to the quick actions of a 22-year-old man, Elisjsha Dicken. Elisjsha shot with impressive speed and accuracy, and he was able to prevent unimaginable tragedy. You never know if you will be in his shoes, which is why training and preparation are so critical.
No Shots Are Fired in 95% of Defensive Gun Uses
Another truth about armed citizens and active shooters is that there are no shots fired in a whopping 95% of defensive gun uses. Because no shots are fired, these incidents are not reliably reported to police—and they certainly don’t make the evening news. The book More Guns Less Crime by John Lott delves into this phenomenon further. Even when armed shooters are not able to act as fast or as accurately as Elisjsha in the example above, they are still able to reduce the number of casualties and shorten the length of the incident.
Additionally, based on a survey of over 450,000 active and retired law enforcement officers, over 86% of those surveyed thought that casualties could be reduced in mass shootings if any or more citizens were able to carry permitted concealed handguns. This is partially because these officers have seen firsthand how effective at planning some active shooters are—they choose times when deputies are not patrolling that area or part of the building, they choose an undefended location, or they target law enforcement officers first.
Soteria Training Academy Helps Share the Truth About Armed Citizens and Active Shooters
Soteria Training Academy helps individuals ready to stand up for themselves and protect their communities get access to CCW permits and the training necessary to defuse active shooter situations. Contact us today by visiting our website, or call us at (410) 216-3176 to learn more.