I'm going to go out on a limb here...
It's been reported this was a 'bad' part of town - I'd be surprised if there wasn't a gang banger or two in the crowd that was armed, but being criminals, they're sure not going to let anyone know.
I'd also bet there's a good chance they wouldn't panic, and had the shooter gotten close enough to them to be a direct threat, or if they thought they were specifically his next target, I have a feeling they would have taken a shot.
'Course, this is all conjecture, but what do you think the odds of being in a packed theater without an armed criminal or two being present are?
Let's not even look at the bad part of town consideration. What are the odds of being packing in theater with what, 200+ people that at least a couple didn't have CCWs?
People could fight back. Items other than firearms have shown to have a negative influence on the shooters time and time again, temporarility halting shooting, stopping shooting, harming the shooter, redirecting attention.
No, my 32 oz supersized free refill drink isn't likely to drop the shooter. He may even shoot me when I heave it at him along with my wifes jumbo popcorn that cost me my kid's first year of college education money to buy, but he will waste time, quite likely, deflecting the shots, trying to figure out what his threat is, and then addressing it, all the while others will be getting away. Hopefully, others will be pelting him with Icees, nachoes, drinks, and Jujubes. I don't hold out much hope for Junior Mints individually, but as a boxed set, they can cause pain.
Nobody is saying that these refreshmentment and cardiac clogging goodies will stop the bad man. It isn't about stopping him. Likely before anyone responds, he is alreayd killing people. It is all about retarding his abilities and reducing the harm that he can do. If you don't have anything better, at least you can lessen the impact.
The guy was there to kill and do harm. Not fighting back did not impede him at all. You can debate how much non-lethal attempts will do, but note that non-lethal means have stopped numerous mass shootings or lessened their results. Just because you don't have a gun, America, doesn't mean you have to be a victim.
Proof in the pudding,so to speak
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The proof as to IF a handgun would have made a difference has been already decided by the people.
The sale of HANDGUNS in Colo has gone through the roof.
Sales have gone up. Sales go up in response to all sorts of events. Big deal. What was the impact here to all the previous times sales have gone up?
In 2007, 2008, and 2009, gun sales in Colorado skyrocketed. Where where all those people and their guns at this event? Gun sales went up after Columbine. Never mind that nobody could have guns at school legally. Those sales didn't really help here at all. Sorry, but panic buying doesn't seem to be the answer or proof to anything other than that the American public will panic buy routinely.