People kill, not guns

On Thursday, Feb. 24, a tragedy occurred in Tyler, Texas.

At about 1:25 p.m., a lone man, David Hernandez Arroyo Sr., armed with a semi-automatic rifle approached the courthouse in the historic town square and opened fire on his ex-wife and 24-year-old son as they were leaving the building. When the shooting stopped two people, besides the gunman, were dead and several were wounded including several police officers.

But there is something of a silver lining to be found on this dark, dark cloud of a day.

That silver lining is Mark Wilson, a 52-year-old Navy Veteran, former gun shop owner and concealed carry license holder who was living in an apartment on the square, heard the gun fire, grabbed a handgun and ran to the scene to confront Arroyo.

Wilson was one of the two casualties that day.

His story is a silver lining because instead of cowering in his apartment while people died, he decided to take action to protect his fellow town-folk.

According to an Associated Press story published in the Feb. 25 edition of the Daily Mail, "'One of the deputies at the scene said if it hadn't been for Mr. Wilson,' said (Smith County) Sheriff J.B. Smith, '(Arroyo's) son would be dead.'"

A citizen who decides to take on the responsibility of carrying a firearm, and then decides to employ that firearm in the defense of those around him deserves to be memorialized. But instead, we have folks trying to rain on his honor.

In an Associated Press article in the March 1 edition of the Daily Mail we find this: "... gun control groups say Wilson's death proves that carrying a gun increases a person's chances of getting killed."

I fail to see their logic. Simply carrying a gun makes it more likely for me to get killed? I am an avid hunter and target shooter, I carry and shoot guns quite often; at least once a week. I'm not dead.

I think they need to revise their statement. It would make more sense if it read: "Getting shot at increases a person's chances of getting killed."

They fail to see that it was not Wilson's carrying of a gun that got him killed.They fail to see that it was a maniac who couldn't deal with his wife pressing for child support who decided to take a rifle and assault an entire courthouse in an attempt to kill her. They fail to see that it's the person behind the gun that makes the difference and not the gun itself.

Rest in peace Mark Allen Wilson, I will not forget your sacrifice. And I hope that in a similar circumstance I could be half the man your example showed.