Authorities say an off-duty Gardena police officer shot and killed a man with a knife who was trying to rob a diner in Bellflower.
Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Gil Carrillo says the officer was eating at a Norm's Restaurant at about 2 a.m. today when the would-be robber came in.
Carrillo says the officer tried to stop the robbery and the man charged at him with a knife. He says the officer, fearing for his life, shot and killed the man, who died at the scene.
Why would a knife-wielding robber feel pretty safe robbing a busy restaurant in Southern California? Because in California it's almost impossible for a good citizen to get a concealed carry permit, meaning the odds are that in any group of average citizens none of them will have a gun.
Yes, the armed diner in this case was an off-duty police officer, and they're about the only people in California who can carry a concealed weapon. A private citizen with a gun may not be able to stop the situation as well as he did. However, in states with concealed carry laws crimes like this are on the decrease because the bad guys don't like walking into situations where they don't know who or how many people might be armed better than they are.
You don't have to arm everybody - just enough people that it greatly reduces the possibility of an armed robber being the only one there with a weapon. Most people wouldn't choose to carry a weapon and that's fine. However, those good citizens who can pass a background check and demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of laws and the operation of their weapons should be allowed to carry wherever and whenever they wish.
The politician that has the guts to stand up in California and demand such a law will be instantly a favorite for whatever position he wants. I believe that such a law in California would be very popular with the voters.
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