I agree that the shooting in Tucson is a tragedy, totally senseless, and the act of a disturbed person. As an ICU registered nurse, I can empathize with the families of the dead and injured because I see this daily, and my heart goes out to these families.

I feel that any untimely death is a tragedy, and as a parent and grandparent I know the loss of the child is especially abhorrent. As a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and a former reserve police officer, I feel a very appropriate question at this point, right after “why did so many have to die or be injured,” is the question, “if there were citizens present who were legal open-carry or legal concealed-carry practioners, armed and as brave as the unarmed ones, would the death count have been as high, or perhaps significantly lower?”

Is it coincidental that FBI statistics show a decrease in violent crime in the last few years, and also show an increase in concealed-carry permits in the same time period? I disagree with the statement of the congressional sergeant-at-arms on ABC News that fewer guns are better. After all, did fewer armed citizens stop this assassin?

James Woodward Sr.
Piedmont