The Question About Gun Free Zones Or Safe Havens

When someone talks about Sandy Hook, the Aurora movie theater or Columbine, most people know what the topic is. The discussions about active shooters in Gun Free Zones resurface from time to time and it leaves us speechless, angry and let’s not forget the grief and pain that come with it for those who lose a loved one. It’s also followed up with discussions about solutions. The opposing sides in these debates narrow it down to stricter gun laws and regulations on one side while the other side favors armed guards, and concealed carry permits for teachers and adult students.

Gun Free Zones are often defined as an island where people can be safe – just like this island in Norway where a gunman killed 69 people, mostly teenagers.

On July 22, 2011, a gunman dressed in a homemade police uniform gained access to an island outside Oslo, Norway. The island was filled with 564 people, mostly teenagers, all attending an annual summer camp.  At 5:22 PM the first shot was fired. Armed with a handgun and a rifle, Anders Breivik had over an hour and a half to shoot and kill 69 people and injure 110. It was a massacre. Only one off duty police officer was present on the island. He was unarmed and became one of the first victims.

Norway is a country with strict gun laws and regulations. Even the police are mostly unarmed and carry firearms only in emergency or special security situations. In this case and prior to the first shot fired, no special armed security was in place. This small island in Norway turned out to be just a safe haven for an evil act.

This is a worst case scenario in terms of body counts. It is a lot more than any average active shooter situation we have experienced here in the US. However, what they all have in common are those dramatic minutes from when the first shot is fired until resistance is in place to stop the killing spree. Minutes count when it comes to saving lives, whether it is 1 victim or 69.

On April 1, 2015, Outdoor Channel will air a documentary called “Safe Haven”. This documentary takes a critical look at the history of gun-free zones in the United States and their effect on crime prevention through a series of interviews with law enforcement, industry experts and survivors, among others. The documentary explores how effective, or perhaps ineffective, these gun-free measures have been and offers possible solutions that would better protect schools, businesses and the public at large.

“Safe Haven” covers a wide range of topics where both sides of the debate is represented. It leaves the viewer with a better understanding of the big picture and with enough arguments from both sides to leave you, as the viewer, with enough information to hopefully be able to ascertain an opinion of what side you stand on.

The discussion about a solution or prevention can all be summed up with the word “trust”. Do we trust individual citizens, teachers, mall security personnel and others to have the proper tools and education to be the first responder when evil comes for a visit? When we enter the safe havens of the world, we all seem to be depending on the preparedness of others and the minutes it takes for them to respond.
But we all have a personal responsibility for our own safety. Avoidance, awareness and preparedness are all key elements in our own personal defense system. Should avoidance be the proper tool when you’re only depended on security personnel or law enforcement to keep you safe?

The teenagers on that “Safe Island” or “ Safe Haven” in Norway didn’t see it coming. Think about that the next time you pass a sign which says “No Guns Allowed”. What is considered safe by some is an open invitation by others to do harm.

Watch the documentary and don’t be afraid to have a discussion with your co-workers, school board members, business owners and most importantly, with your family.