While DC denies most gun carry permits, the police chief is saying citizens should take action and shoot any active shooter. It’s really sort of a backwards way to do things if you deny arming citizens and then expect them to take out a shooter.
Washington, D.C., Chief of Police Cathy Lanier encouraged civilians to stop shooters, like the one who killed 12 people in the city’s Navy Yard, despite denying the vast majority of those who’ve applied for a gun carry permit.
“Your options are run, hide, or fight,” Lanier told Anderson Cooper on Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes. “I always say, if you can get out, getting out is your first option, your best option. If you’re in a position to try and take the gunman down, to take the gunman out, it’s the best option for saving lives before police can get there.”
“And that’s, you know, that’s kind of counterintuitive to what cops always tell people, right? We always tell people don’t, you know, don’t take action. Call 911. Don’t intervene in the robbery. We’ve never told people: take action. This is a different scenario.”
When asked by Cooper if she was now telling people to take action against shooters, Lanier said, “we are.”
Lanier’s comments come as her office continues to deny most applications for gun carry permits under the law’s “good reason” clause which gives Lanier discretion in deciding who is issued a permit. Currently the Metropolitan Police Department has approved 48 of the 298 permit applications.
