First (uncited) are later reports that the weapon was an AK-type, not an SKS type rifle.
Next, linked from the Michael Bane blog, a blogger named 'JoeMerchant24' has some first-person reports, and some fallout. I'll link the first four articles in case the articles drop off the 'current' list on his blog:
First-person #1
"A Modest Proposal", the Von Maur Drill
The notorious "Rules of Conduct" signs (#14 makes the mall a 'gun free zone') have been removed.
First-person #2: a First Responder report
(This also refers to the weapon as an "AK (NOT AN SKS)", and specifically describes "2-30 round magazines taped in reverse".)
There has been a lot of traffic in the Blogosphere, including RKBA websites, during the past few days talking about the "Gun Free Zones" which constitute much of our Public Areas. Schools and shopping malls are the most common locations cited.
When the Virginia Tech campus suffered from the predations of a Mad Dog Killer, there were 'some' complaints that a recent policy announcement from the V.T. Administration rejecting a proposal (that 'Concealed Carry Weapon' Licensees ... "CCW" ... should be allowed to carry on-campus) did not hold the well-being of the students, faculty and staff as a priority. Generally, the published comments supported this administrative 'theory'.
This incident, however, may lend more weight to the CCW argument.
What's new here?
I did an Internet search on "Omaha + gun free zone", expecting to report the usual finding that "the blogosphere is all over this, but the Main Stream Media remains silent".
To my surprise, I found this article from the Business Section of Omaha.com (website of the Omaha World-Herald) ... which, for this purpose I will consider the MSM:
Published Wednesday | March 28, 2007
Signs you'll see at the entrance of O'Connor's Irish Pub in the Old Market:
Few merchants see need to post no-weapons sign
"Restrooms are for customers only."
"City Council: Please Send in the Non-Smokers."
What you won't see is a "No Concealed Weapons" sign reminding customers that bars are among the few businesses in Nebraska where it is illegal to carry a gun.
Almost three months after the start of a state law allowing people to carry concealed weapons, signs banning guns from privately owned businesses haven't exactly popped up all over the Omaha area.
In fact, although some chains such as Bag 'N Save have posted signs and shopping malls such as Westroads Mall have added "no weapons" clauses to their posted codes of conduct, many small businesses haven't seen the need. And at least one that did later reconsidered.
Under the law, concealed handguns are banned from some businesses, including bars and financial institutions. Other businesses and employers can ban concealed weapons from their property by posting a sign that guns are not allowed.
O'Connor's Pub owner Katie O'Connor said she didn't think a sign was necessary.
"The ones you need to be afraid of don't have licenses for their guns anyway," she said.
At the Nebraska Clothing Co. in the Old Market, owner Brad Ashford said he intended to put up signs but never got around to it.
And now, he said, "It does not seem to be a problem."
If he saw a customer carrying a gun, he'd probably ask the person to leave the store, said Ashford, who also is a state senator.
"Of course," he added, "if I could see the gun, it wouldn't be concealed."
Note the date of this article: March 28, 2007 ... over eight months ago.
Also note the specific reference to the Westwood Mall, identified as one of the "... shopping malls ... [which] ... have added "no weapons" clauses to their posted codes of conduct...".
The article continues:
Greg Cutchall put up a "No Concealed Weapons" sign at his Famous Dave's barbecue restaurant at 71st Street and Ames Avenue, but a customer's reaction persuaded Cutchall to remove it within days.We can expect that the people who were in the Westwood Mall last week will be inclined to take their dinner guests to Cutchall's restaurant, which reinforces the idea that allowing honest people the legal means to protect themselves is just good business.
"He wrote that he was no longer going to do business with us," Cutchall said. "He went on to say how difficult it is for an individual to actually obtain a concealed weapon permit, and that they're law-abiding citizens."
One of the customer's points, Cutchall said, really resonated: The sign wouldn't keep out someone who wanted to rob the place.
"Your business is more important to me than one of 1,000 ways people could sue us," Cutchall wrote back, adding that he would take down the sign.
After he removed the sign, Cutchall said, he received e-mails from other customers applauding his decision and telling him they planned to eat at the restaurant.
"It's a little controversial," Cutchall acknowledged. "There's a group of people who'll say, 'You're going to allow concealed weapons in your restaurant?'"
Perhaps I was wrong when I predicted a Liberal knee-jerk reaction to the Omaha Mall Shootings. Perhaps Nebraskans, who are proud of their recently enacted 'shall issue' legislation, will stand up to their elected politicians who may attempt to use this tragedy to re-establish gun-control laws which have now been proven to be contrary to the best interests of the public.
There may be other Unintended Consequences of this tragedy.
The Ledger.com (a "... New York Times Regional Media Group Florida site...") Lakeland (Polk County), Florida, has an online Forum feature. Visitors here are reading and commenting on John Lott's article which emphasizes the "Gun Free Zone" in the Omaha mall, and while the responses so far are minimal, they are 'not amused' by the concept.
Here's another article from the Omaha World-Herald, dated August 12, 2007:
Omaha Housing Authority to ban guns in homesObviously, Nebraska has been working to fit the new Concealed Carry laws into the preconceived notion that private ownership of firearms is 'bad'. The politicians are looking for more places to ban guns. The small-business owners (at least) are accepting current law 'as written', and when they discover that private citizens are unwilling to 'give up an essential liberty for temporary security', they yield to whatever measure best attracts their customers.
Residents of Omaha Housing Authority properties will not be allowed to have guns - even if they own them legally - in their homes under a new policy due to take effect in October.
The state's largest provider of public housing adopted the new rule in June. It followed the passage of a separate rule in April that prohibits anyone other than sanctioned OHA employees or police officers from carrying concealed weapons in shared spaces such as lobbies and elevators or OHA offices.
Executive Director Stan Timm said the rules are "one more tool in trying to be ahead of and prevent crime."
"We're always looking for ways to improve safety," Timm said.
We have been shown that Gun Free Zones are decidedly NOT what the public wants. We have seen this in the marketplace, surely the best measure of a Capitalistic society. And we have seen demonstrated in the Real World that Gun Free Zones not only do nothing to secure the safety of patrons, but rather makes targets of our families.
It may be that the politicians which we have elected might learn from this experience, and might be convinced that imposing draconian Gun Control laws neither protects the electorate or (mor important, to them) assures their re-election.
We don't expect them to learn this lesson, but it is an outcome devoutly to be wished.
Nota Bene:
Previous Geek posts on Nebraska Concealed Handgun Carry act:
CCW in Nebraska? (January 8, 2006)
Nebraska Joins RKBA America! (March 30, 2006)
Money-quote:
The political opposition to passage of this bill was evident even after passage of the bill, as the Journal Star reporting demonstrates:More About Nebraska Shall Issue Law (March 31, 2006)“There is no justification for it which would be considered rational,” said Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha. “Nebraska is not engulfed in a crime wave.”
The Nebraska State Patrol did not take a stance on the bill. The Police Officers Association of Nebraska opposes the measure.
Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney questioned why the “safest people in the safest place on Earth” — Nebraska — need to carry concealed guns.
Summary:
The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.
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