When last month Ben Carson suggested that people confronted by a shooter should rush him en masse, ABC ran a story criticizing him, claiming that Carson "appears to be second-guessing" the victims of the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon.
But on ABC's Good Morning America today, in the wake of the mass shooting in Colorado Springs, guess what an expert suggested? "If you can get other people to go with you, that is extremely important, in fact, that's one of the teaching tools today in schools is everyone at mass start throwing stuff at the shooter and go at him." So, did GMA host Dan Harris criticize the expert for second-guessing the victims? Of course not. He's not a Republican running for office. Harris called the expert's suggestion "great advice."
Former FBI agent Brad Garrett was the expert offering the advice.
DAN HARRIS: After Colorado Springs and after, of course, what happened in Paris two weeks ago, a lot of people can't help but wonder what should we do if we find ourselves in an active shooter situation? Is it as simple as just calling 911 and waiting for the police to show up?
BRAD GARRETT: No, you have to take care of yourself. If you can run, run. If you can't do that as this person you just had on described, hide. Secrete yourself someplace, shut the lights off, shut your phones off or put them on silent and wait. Make sure you continue to listen because you may have to change your location. The last thing is you have to fight. Which means anything that you have, a pen, a pocket knife, anything you can can go at this person, because you now, this is the last resort, there's nothing else to do, he's going to shoot you so you go at him. And if you can get other people to go with you, that is extremely important, in fact, that's one of the teaching tools today in schools, is everyone at masse start throwing stuff at the shooter and go at him.
DAN HARRIS: Great advice. Hopefully none of us has to use it. Brad Garrett, we appreciate your guidance on a Saturday morning: thank you.
