A Florida man threatening to shoot into a crowd of people was killed when a bystander drew his weapon and killed the potential shooter.
A large party in West Palm Beach, Florida, turned south on Sunday when an argument between two women escalated into a 20-person fight in the street. One of the participants went to his car, producing a short-barreled shotgun.
The person began waving the shotgun at the crowd, yelling threats to “shoot the crowd up.” People pleaded for the 22-year-old man to put the gun down but to no avail.
At this point, a bystander, 32, who was legally carrying a handgun according to Florida laws, drew his weapon and fired at the shotgun-wielding man.
It was about 10:40 p.m. on August 7 when the man who allegedly threatened to shoot others died from his wounds at the scene before he could be transported for medical attention.
The bystander had his concealed carry license and called 911 after the gunman was down. He then remained on the scene until police arrived and fully cooperated with the law enforcement authorities.
No one involved in the incident faced charges at the time of publication.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), if a shotgun has a barrel length of under 18 inches, it must be registered; otherwise, it is illegal to own. If the potential shooter owned the gun but failed to register the short-barreled shotgun and pay the attending tax stamp fees, the firearm was illegally owned.
This event in Florida parallels several recent incidences across the country where citizens equipped with handguns have successfully stopped potential mass murderers.
In Charleston, West Virginia, a woman with a concealed handgun license shot and killed a gunman attempting to shoot at people attending a graduation party.
The local chief of detectives, Tony Hazelett, explained, “Instead of running from the threat, she engaged with the threat and saved several lives.”
Over the past several years, more areas across the country have expanded citizens’ access to guns for self-defense. States including Georgia, Ohio, and Texas have passed laws removing barriers for lawful gun owners to carry weapons.
Additionally, the Supreme Court struck down an anti-gun law in New York that instituted barriers for citizens wishing to receive concealed carry permits, as reported by The Dallas Express.
However, many citizens still push for greater gun control, arguing that with better gun control, the would-be-killers would be less likely to have a gun to begin with.