Lee Friday – May 11, 2017
On May 3rd, 2017, according to witnesses, 48-year-old James Jones started yelling incoherently while standing at the bar. Cesar Perez, the 37-year-old manager of Zona Caliente Sports Bar, tried to calm Jones. Jones then shot and killed Perez. After ordering his wife to get down on the floor, and armed customer then shot and killed Jones.
It does not appear that Jones and Perez knew each other. In addition to the gun he fired, Jones had another semi-automatic pistol and two knives on him. Arlington Police Lieutenant Chris Cook said, “He definitely had the capacity, if he wanted, to commit further violence and potentially kill other patrons in the business. . . . We’re thankful that the good ‘Samaritan’ acted quickly and decisively to end the threat.”
It is unfortunate that such stories are not more widely reported, and properly explained. As far as guns are concerned, the unnamed good Samaritan appears to be a law-abiding citizen – he is a concealed carry permit holder. However, Jones did not have a gun license and the serial number on his second gun had been scratched off.
It appears Jones was a bad person who ignored the law. No surprise. Bad people often ignore the law. It also appears the good Samaritan was a good person who obeyed the law – he had his gun license; and he used his gun, likely preventing Jones from killing more people. But this makes me wonder about all the other customers and employees at the restaurant. Let us assume that most of them are also good people. How many of these good people did not carry guns, but would have carried guns if the acquisition of guns did not require compliance with the government’s gun laws – gun laws which bad people ignore!
Think about it.
Sources: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/good-samaritan-kills-active-shooter-texas-sports-bar-police-n755136 ; https://www.dallasnews.com/news/arlington/2017/05/03/two-people-killed-third-wounded-arlington-restaurant-shooting-reports-say
