More timely response might have caught armed robber
Thoughts on the robbery at Walgreens on June 8:
I’ve had issue with the general response time of law enforcement before. It was no emergency — only repeated disturbances, etc. Fortunate, since their response time was never under 30 minutes.
Last weekend’s irresponsibility in the incidence at Walgreens, however, was utterly inexcusable. Law enforcement should have been there in time to catch the perpetrator if their response had been equal to the emergency being described. The 911 operator was told that there was “a shooter in the building with a weapon, loudly threatening people.” And they were called immediately.
It would have been unwise to rush the building, not knowing if there were hostages. But they could have pinned him at the door — as he waltzed out into broad daylight holding a long barrel weapon — if they had been there. A large number of heavily armed folk eventually turned up “just in case?” Crowd control? Our tax dollars abused.
Perhaps this situation provides a good argument on the side of the gun rights activists. It actually couldn’t hurt for us to have the means to protect ourselves — especially if they are going to drag their behinds!
However, employees being “armed” would not have improved this situation, and it may have caused a disaster. As it was, no one played the hero, and no one was injured.
I am thankful my firstborn is safe, that I didn’t have to identify his body at the morgue. I am thankful that he didn’t have more to be grieved about, as his fellow employees were shaken — but not stirred! But I am asking those in law enforcement, Please respond to crime in a more timely manner in the future!
— Sandra Carlton Duncan
Salisbury