Deputy Was In Over His Head Plus Had No Back Up. Cannot Completely Blame Him.

[TheMastersNemesis]

Of course that deputy failed in his job to confront the shooter. But it looks like he was destined to fail by the situation. Going in alone could have been suicidal. Chances are low that he could have stopped the shooter. Oc course he could have been lucky but we will never know.

Now we know that the sheriff's system also broke down. The shooter escaped for a while. They did not know who he was. So there is a problem there as well.

Unless every building is guarded by more than one person the shooter still has the upper had. The shooter always has the upper ground. If you look at how many trained armed officers we have lost frequently to even one gunman. We lost a couple of trained officers recently as well in one incident.

The think that you can take down one gunman is really ludicrous. Plus armed teachers with a short training program are not qualified to go on the offensive. Even police going in with back up face great risk.

In the end banning military weapons is the only way.

[Girard442]

1. You may say people have a moral duty to face certain death to save the life of a child...

...but out here in the real world, a lot of people won't. It's not pretty, but it's true.

[Kaleva]

2. I agree.

Having armed guards and teachers at schools is stupid.

[shanny]

3. It just demonstrates what a stupid effing idea it is

to have one guy, trained or not, guarding a school or anyplace else.

[Yupster]

11. Agree

If you have guards they should be plainclothes so the shooter can't pick them out first.

[Luz]

22. But then, neither could the real cops when they show up.

Which is one of my main issues. What happens in that situation when police arrived and confront 15 people with a gun?

[Corgigal]

4. Agreed.

I think he would be slaughtered at the door. If the gunman was in the same hallway, he would have seen the light coming. It's a awful choice.

[liberalhistorian]

5. Meanwhile, teachers and students

put themselves in the line of fire to act as shields to protect students, many of whom were then saved while the shielding teachers and students either died or were seriously injured. So, yeah, I'm gonna judge and I'm gonna find this experienced ARMED officer seriously wanting.

[Dan]

9. What are or were the protocols

For the Sheriff’s department for this type of situation?

I agree with an earlier commenter - AR-15 against a Glock - my money is on the assault rifle, especially where there are so many unknowns.

The shooter has plenty of targets, the poor police officer has only one. The shooter can make mistakes, the officer none.

Totally a no-win situation, but having said all that - I would have gone in... but I can’t fault the officer, totally no win.

My opinion.

[dchill]

16. Agree 100%

[RhodeIslandOne]

12. Theres a big difference between being in the middle of a fight...

....and observing/awareness in the distance.

[Yupster]

13. Compare him to the cop at the baseball field

Armed with a pistol, confronted with a rifle, she fought back, drew the shooter's attention to her and obviously saved many lives. Without her there, he could have walked through the field and dugouts shooting people freely as he went.

[bullimiami]

6. If he had been face to face Im sure he would have confronted him.

Don’t be so quick to judge.

Remember he is not to blame.
He was there doing his best.

[OhioBlue]

7. I'm feeling agnostic on this one. We don't know and may never know what was going on in

the situation or his mind. It sounds like he froze and is a very sad situation that will haunt him for the rest of his life. If my kid was in the school, I would feel angry, betrayed and pissed. If my kid was the SRO, I would feel heart broken that he was in that position and would probably never live a day without the failure and haunting shame that he must feel. I would also feel guilt on his behalf for those that lost their life thinking of the "what ifs" but also recognizing that he most likely would have just become another one of the casualties when facing an AR15 spray of bullets.

There is also a lot of the story that we just don't know. Did he request and was he waiting for backup that he thought was imminent? Did he never enter the building? Where there students he led to safety? Did he do nothing and hide?

All we really know is that the sheriff said there was photographic evidence that he took a position and didn't enter when protocol was that he should have. He resigned. In the face of such a tragedy, many wouldn't even try to argue any other position or make excuses... but just accept blame and resign.

[milestogo]

8. Agree. This was a large school with several buildings.

I would not expect the security guard at my workplace to risk his life protecting me. Especially when I think about how little they are paid. I would just expect him to be on watch while he is on duty and notify police immediately.

[Yupster]

10. No reason for him to be armed then

Risk of someone taking his gun or him flipping out.

If he's not willing to use it, he shouldn't have it.

[Thrill]

14. Hes there to protect the kids right?

Isn’t that why he’s armed? Hard to defend him when he didn’t even try.

[TheMastersNemesis]

15. True Enough. He Failed In His Duty.

[MFM008]

17. He could have provided

A possible distraction even a few moments would have forced the gunman to deal with a shooter from the outside maybe some more kids could have gotten away in that time maybe they wouldn't have it's hard to tell and it's all speculation but it's what I think I would have liked to have tried to do if it would have been me. He'll just unloading a couple of clips in the air might have gotten the distraction.

[johnpowdy]

18. This was not the deputies fault. It was the guns fault. Ban the guns from the citizens.

I am sick of this

Now the gun nuts are blaming this poor deputy. Sick.

[joem777]

19. I can't judge him, he's a good person

[hlthe2b]

20. If he had kids of his own, I can understand. But, I have to think this will haunt him for the rest

of his life. I'd like to think, in that few seconds of decision, I'd realize that my only chance at being able to live with my decision would be to go in and do so. That's not altruistic, but simply weighing the consequences and my conscience.

[aikoaiko]

21. Ever since Columbine, protocol has been to engage active shooters

A lot of these mass shooters situations end as soon as the shooter knows LEO are there.

He didn't have to go an a suicide mission - just engage the shooter from cover.

[Iggo]

23. His job and his duty was to protect those kids, with his life if necessary.

He didn't do that. He choked.

I can understand WHY he choked, but that doesn't change the fact that his job and his duty was to protect those kids, with his life if necessary. That's what he signed up for.

Turns out he sucks at that.