Mrs. sbryce here.
I'd tell the true story of the office building my husband was in being shot up by a nut this past January. One woman was fatally wounded on the 4th floor. Left behind family which included a 3 month old child. My husband was on the 5th floor at the time. The nut didn't appear to be interested in aiming at people as she made 17 bullet holes around the lobby of the first floor, before she moved elsewhere in the building. What if she had been deliberately aiming at people? Then a few weeks later something similar happened just down the block, but my husband's building was affected too. The children and I sat at home and watched the news on tv and prayed.
At that time, we hadn't really given much thought to RKBA, much less done anything about it. Have now!!!
Though the media reported the true story only once before changing the party line, we later learned that the nut's shooting spree was halted by a brave citizen putting a .45 in her ear when she dropped her magazine to reload. He ordered her to the ground. She complied. He nudged her gun away from her with his foot. When the police arrived, the citizen put his .45 on the ground next to his CCW, backed up against a wall with his hands up. The police looked over both gun and CCW and told him he was free to go. Note: the brave citizen was in the building and available. The police were not. And of course the police have to protect themselves from becoming victims and have to enter such a "live" crime site very carefully. Our brave citizen didn't have to ease on into the building, concerned by any additional shooters. (For a while there was a rumor that there was a man shooting as well. Turns out the female had very short hair and bulky clothing, hence the mistaken identity.) Our brave citizen saw the events as they unfolded and was able to focus on the one threat he saw at the time.
Too bad the receptionist in the first floor lobby didn't have a gun, then the nut never would have made it up to the 4th floor. Of course, the criminals can always get guns no matter the law; they're lawbreakers by definition.
We were told this 'rest of the story' in a gun shop, then handed the business card of the brave citizen's instructor. Not rumor. Fact. If she needs more details, or to verify the story, please give her our e-mail address.
The handgun we purchased is for hubby to carry. I will not sit at home, surrounded by our children, all of us worried and wondering. The shotgun we purchased is for home defense. I want a smaller carry gun for myself when we can afford it.
A fellow named Stu I 'met' on another discussion board has a sig line I'm trying to memorize verbatim--I love it! "You might not like guns and choose not to own one. That is your right. You might not believe in God. That is your choice. However, if someone breaks into your home the first two things you're going to do are: 1)Call someone with a gun. 2)Pray they get there in time." So right, Stu.