Sometimes all this gun shit comes a little too close to home. Yesterday my wife was headed to an office Christmas party scheduled to be held at an Olive Garden restaurant located across the street from Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City. At the time I was perched on the sofa watching a cable news network. It was featuring speakers from both American political parties who were, with great gusto, accusing each other of everything from unrepentant partisan corruption to treason.
About 15 minutes after she left she strolled back in through the front door and announced the party had been cancelled. Nothing unusal she said, just a shooting at the mall. Ah yes, America, where it is always the season for deadly craziness.
The talking heads on the local TV outlets were all over the situation when we switched channels. In helicopter shots and behind reporters on the ground the scene was one we've grown used to. There were dozens of police cars with their lights flashing. Heavily armed officers were entering the mall as dazed shoppers and the entire OKC Thunder NBA team filed out. The Thunder players were there to see a private screening of an unidentified movie. We were assured they were never in any danger.
In addition, by the time we tuned in, those giving us the updates were already telling the viewing audience, not to worry, it wasn't an active, or mass shooting situation. Apparently someone took umbrage with a specific person and did what any red blooded modern American does in such a situation--he pulled his weapon and opened fire.
That's right ladies and gentlemen, relax, it was a personal beef, he wasn't after everybody. Given what has gone on during this century, such a revelation is supposed to be of comfort to us.
Of course this isn't the first time gun madness has hit nearby. In May of 2018 a security guard who was licensed to carry a fire arm named Alexander Tilghman opened up on a restaurant about five minutes away from us. We weren't there that night, but it is a place we frequent. He was killed by a couple of other trained security people who just happened to be close to the scene, but only after he had wounded three, two of them young girls.
Mr. Tilghman wasn't targeting anyone in particular, although later a couple of videos he had posted on YouTube were discovered. In one he talked about birds tormenting him at night and during the other he spoke about, "demonic ducks," which roamed the park area next to the bar and grill. To this day it remains unknown why he targeted the diners rather than those accursed ducks.
Last night the NRA types began their usual complaints about gun free zones, which Penn Square is. Oh if only the mall would have allowed patrons to carry weapons the shooter would have been stopped. By stopped they mean killed. Yes and if any bystanders had been caught in the crossfire, well, that's the price of freedom.
Twenty-four year old Elizha Sanders was arrested this morning for the crime after his father talked him into surrendering to police. He shot 22 year old Gerron Cobb after the two became involved in a fist fight at a Foot Locker store. Cobb remains in critical condition. No one knows where, or how Sanders got the weapon.
And that's the problem isn't it? There are so many guns out there anyone can get one. Even guys who use them to settle fist fights and the ones who are harassed by demonic ducks.
In November an Oklahoma law went into effect which allows almost everyone to carry a side arm openly without any sort of training, or a license. One of the restrictions is you can't carry on private property if the owner doesn't allow it. Obviously young Mr. Sanders wasn't up on the rule, or chose to ignore it.
We can only imagine how many people out there are like him. Just like we can only imagine what the carnage and fear would be like if we rescinded the regulation.
What we do know is Wyatt Earp knew the solution to the problem well over one hundred years ago. We just don't have his guts, or will to enforce it.
12-20-19
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