Thread by @ryanfred

Story time: A decade ago Selena and I were at a mall and a shooting broke out (gang related). It was terrifying, chaotic, and disorienting—pandemonium.

We were in the second floor food court, everyone ran for the nearest door, which led to a deck with no way to escape

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https://twitter.com/GrantB911/status/1211384089019858946

People began jumping down from the deck onto the concrete below (12' drop).

Everyone was screaming and clamoring to get away from where the gunshot seemed to come from (the echo of the shots made it hard to tell where they came from)

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In the panic, Selena and I ran with the crowd and ended up on the deck w/o a way to escape. The windows and doors were all glass, so we felt exposed—like sitting ducks.

I began throwing down the deck tables (made of stone) and telling people to get behind them for cover

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I heard 3 gunshots in total, but after the third it didn't even matter—It was impossible to think straight. I felt paralyzed by fear and completely disoriented.

After 10 minutes of hearing no gunshots, we got out from behind the tables and made our way downstairs/outside.

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It took hours to come down from the fear and adrenaline, and that day I vowed to never be helpless if caught in a similar situation again.

I now carry (concealed) whenever we're in a public place, especially when with our three daughters.

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I wouldn't say I'm a "proud" gun owner. I don't enjoy carrying a firearm, but I'm thankful to be free to do so.

As the #texaschurchshooting demonstrates, guns can be used for harm, but they can also be used to stop harm. The difference is the person pulling the trigger.

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