Terrorist in French Quarter in a Shoot-out With Police, had IED’s and killed Innocent People with a Vehicle
BELLEVUE, WA – While city officials in New Orleans have been trying since last year to create a “gun-free zone” including the city’s entire French Quarter, the slaughter of 14 people on New Year’s Day is graphic proof that bad people are the problem, not firearms, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said.
“Alleged mass killer Shamsud Din Jabbar murdered all of his victims with an electric-powered pickup truck,” noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “While he reportedly had a rifle and pistol, he also apparently placed IED bombs in a couple of places prior to his rampage. Does anyone seriously expect us to believe that designating the area as a ‘gun-free zone’ would have somehow deterred this madman and prevented this horrible crime?”
Jabbar was killed in a short gun battle with New Orleans police officers, but the carnage was really caused by driving the truck through holiday revelers. This was not the first time in recent memory when a crazed terrorist weaponized a motor vehicle to inflict massive mayhem. Last month saw the Christmas Market attack in Magdeburg, Germany. There was the July 14, 2016 terror attack in Nice, France when a man drove a stolen cargo truck through a crowd, killing 86 people and injuring 434 others. In 2017, another man drove a rented pickup along a bike path in New York City, killing eight people, CCRKBA recalled.
“What does it take to convince public officials, in New Orleans or anywhere else, that restricting the rights of legally armed, law-abiding citizens will not prevent incidents of horrendous violence,” Gottlieb wondered. “While the myopic gun prohibition lobby concentrates on banning firearms in so-called ‘sensitive places,’ dangerous individuals have demonstrated repeatedly they don’t need guns to commit mass murder. The terrible tragedy in New Orleans merely underscores that fact.
“It’s time to abandon the one-size-fits-all strategy of disarming the public as a solution to violent crime and a preventive measure against wholesale killing,” he stated. “Trampling the constitution has never solved anything. You don’t protect people by disarming them. You simply turn them into defenseless victims.”
Q&A (Optional):
- In your view, why do “gun-free zones” fail to deter mass violence, and what alternative measures would you suggest improving public safety in places like New Orleans?
- The New Orleans attack involved multiple methods of violence, including a vehicle and IEDs. How does this underscore the argument that violent individuals, not specific weapons, are the real threat?
- Critics of the gun-rights movement often argue that fewer guns lead to less violence. How would you respond to those who believe stricter gun control laws could have prevented this tragedy?
- What lessons can be learned from the repeated use of vehicles as weapons in attacks like this one and others in France, Germany, and New York City?
- How do you propose balancing the need for public safety with the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens to bear arms?
- What specific actions do you believe city officials in New Orleans should take to address public safety without infringing on Second Amendment rights?
- The press release mentions the importance of resisting “one-size-fits-all” strategies for addressing violence. What tailored approaches would you recommend for different communities facing unique threats?
- For those who might argue that allowing more armed citizens in public spaces could lead to accidental injuries or misuse of firearms, how do you address those concerns while advocating for expanded rights to carry?
- Where can we learn more about the Second Amendment Foundation?
a. You can visit our official website at http://www.saf.org.
Second Amendment Foundation spokespersons available to be your guest:
ABOUT CHRIS CHENG (In Pacific Time)
Chris Cheng serves on the advisory council to the Second Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is the History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion and author of the book “Shoot to Win.” Cheng is an Asian D&I advocate in the gun community; a former Google employee who went from self-taught amateur to pro shooter.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a member of the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As a nationally syndicated host of two talk radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense, Mark is heard on hundreds of stations weekly across the country. Mark is the co-founder of Armed American News and the recipient of the 2015 “Gun Rights Defender of the Year award.” In addition, Mark Walters is co-author of three books, including Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed.
ABOUT LEE WILLIAMS (In Eastern Time)
Lee Williams is also known as The Gun Writer and has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than ten years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project and is a frequent contributor to Ammoland News and Armed American Radio. In addition, Lee serves as a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. He was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. Lee has earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter and three medals of valor as a police officer.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and is communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and co-authored seven books with Second Amendment Foundation Alan Gottlieb. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing, and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 700,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
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