Yesterday’s shooting in an Antioch, Tennessee church ended when 22-year-old usher Caleb Engle (above) struggled with the gunman, causing the killer’s pistol to discharge into his own chest. “After the struggle, Engle exited the sanctuary, got a gun from his vehicle and guarded the shooter until police arrived,” tennessean.com reports.
A Somali refugee named Emanuel Kidega Samson (above) began his homicidal rampage by shooting and killing 39-year-old Melanie Smith. The murder occurred in the church’s parking lot as she exited the church.
Presumably, someone inside the church would have heard the gunfire and could have prepared to defend the parishioners from the ensuing attack.
In case it’s important, Mr. Engle, the brave soul who who went hands-on with the killer, was licensed to carry a concealed weapon. What is important: as far as we know, neither Engle nor any of the people inside the church were armed at the time of the attack.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Nashville’s Police Chief promised to help any church or organization that wants to prepare a defense against a similar attack. He danced around the issue of an armed defense.
Regardless of the way this particular incident went down, the fact remains that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. (Not to coin a phrase.)
As always, the blame for this horrific crime rests squarely on the killer’s shoulders. But once again, it should have been a defensive gun use.