"In the five days after the October 15 shooting, 204 people started applications. That's roughly double an entire quarter's worth of normal demand."

That's not panic buying — that's people doing math. One armed citizen ended the attack, and now 204 of his neighbors are working through the process to put themselves in a similar position. Hard to argue with the logic.

"The suspect was shot by a community member who saw the suspect enter the school and pursued him and engaged him."

The police chief said that out loud, on the record. No hedging, no "we advise civilians not to intervene" follow-up. Kaylub Giamanco made a decision under pressure that nobody trains you for at the counter of an LGS — and it worked.

"The restrictions didn't stop a prohibited 16-year-old from bringing a gun onto campus. An armed citizen did."

This is the part that should end every policy argument — but won't. The law already said no. The gun-free zone already existed. The one variable that actually changed the outcome was a licensed father who was carrying that day.

For those of you carrying regularly: when was the last time you thought seriously about what you'd actually do in a crowded, chaotic situation — school pickup, a parking lot, a store — and whether your current setup lets you respond the way Giamanco did?

Read the full article in The Handbook → | By Steve Duskett