I wrote this after the theater shooting in Colorado and I'll say it again. I don't know how to stop these shootings but I do know this: the notions that mass amounts of armed civilians will stop mass shootings is ridiculous. Mass shooters have often planned their "missions" for months in advance. They have scoped out the site that they wish to use. They've studied military combat strategies (or at least think they have) and they use it to develop a high-kill scenario. They carry multiple guns, maybe even explosives.

Here is the reality: When a mass shooting starts, the shooter knows everything. He knows where he is. He knows the guns he is carrying. He knows how much ammunition he has. Since he walked into the area before firing, he has a mental picture of the distribution of people. And what do you know, citizen hero? Practically nothing. In a dark movie theater, you can't even see the guy who is firing at you. On a college campus, there are so many places to hide and so many entrances and exits from buildings, you likely will never find the shooter even if you go after him. At Columbine, the SWAT teams couldn't enter the school because reports from the students in the school put the shooters at over six, even though there were only two. Hell, there've been mass shootings at military bases! REPEAT: Mass shootings at military bases!

Here is what is going to happen if everyone with a gun takes it out and starts shooting: You will all shoot each other to death. Because none of you have a clear idea where the shooter is, and because none of you have a clear idea of your line of fire, you will put someone or yourself in a cross fire and you'll probably kill more of each other than the shooter will. Or you will think you know who the dangerous person is and you'll shoot an innocent person. The assumption that multiple, uncoordinated random citizens should start firing at mass shooters is based on the faulty assumption that normal citizens know how to shoot a gun, can shoot it well, and won't panic when they miss or find out the shooter is wearing armor and the shooter begins firing a massive shotgun at them.

Armed citizens may occasionally, here or there, find themselves fortunate enough to be put in a completely lucky situation of having an easy and safe shot on a gunman, but that is not a reliable solution. If you find yourself in a situation with a mass shooter--flee. Your Glock versus their assault rifle is not a good scenario. You run for your life and if the shooter comes after you, defend yourself, God knows you'll have a clear shot then, but to go Rambo on an offensive onslaught is only going to make the next hero think that you are the actual shooter.