It boggles the mind but, somehow, despite being in Fort Worth, Texas, an aggrieved party-goer managed to open fire on an apparently (not to mention shamefully) unarmed group of backyard party attendees. Well, “unarmed” may be a little strong, because the folks most definitely defended themselves . . .
…a man who opened fire at a backyard party in Fort Worth, killing one and injuring three, died after being chased by fellow party-goers who threw landscaping bricks at him.
That’s a pretty good summary by ABC News of the AP story. Any further details of this incident, which happened at sometime around 1:00 AM yesterday (July 26th) morning, aren’t yet available.
One thing I’m comfortable stating is that this should have been a defensive gun use. As amazing as it is to see people fight back, and as effective as this stoning likely was in reducing the total casualties from what otherwise would probably have been a much worse incident, landscaping bricks are a poor substitute for a firearm.
Aside from being less effective and far less immediate, bricks are also far crueler and less civilized. I had a vehemently anti-gun friend who wasn’t, however, anti-violence, explaining to me that he had no issue whatsoever defending his home even if it resulted in killing a home invader and, in fact, he kept a baseball bat near his bed for just such an emergency. Naturally I accused him of being a sicko psychopath, choosing all of the disgusting horror inherent in bludgeoning somebody with a pipe instead of stopping him cleanly and efficiently from a distance with a firearm like a gentleman.
A firearm is an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. God forbid any of us have to use one in self-defense, but it sure as hell beats stoning somebody to death with landscaping bricks. Gruesome.