*UPDATE*
A reader with better eyes than us pointed out that he didn’t think the ‘Gun Free’ sign was on the front of the restaurant. When we took a closer look at the video and matched a few things up, it looks like he’s right. The footage from CNN at the point of the sign showing up seems to have been taken at the T-mobile store right next door to the restaurant.
TL/DR: The ‘Gun Free’ sign seems to be outside of the T-mobile store and not outside of the restaurant.
The restaurant does have a few signs out front in the same location, but they are not readable in any of the footage or images we have seen so far. Well, we thought we saw it clearly.
Our mistake and apologies, but our words below still ring true for Gun Free Zones.
— Original Article Begins —
If only they had a ‘No Knives’ sign. </sarcasm>
On Thursday evening, a mad man with a machete wreaked havoc inside a restaurant, indiscriminately slashing anyone he came in contact with. After the attack and patrons fighting for their lives, the attacker was finally stopped by police away from the scene of the crime.
“(He) immediately began swinging a machete at customers and employees inside,” Columbus police Sgt. Rich Weiner said. “There was no rhyme or reason as to who he was going after as soon as he walked in, according to some of the witnesses.”
The above screen shot was taken from this video posted by CNN, and clearly shows a ‘No Firearms’ sign proudly displayed on the front door of the Nazareth Restaurant and Deli in Columbus, where a frightening and near-deadly attack occurred yesterday.
Now, FBI officials are probing a possible terrorist link.
In Ohio, persons carrying a concealed firearm need to abide by any ‘No Firearms’ signs by law, and I can’t help but wonder if any patrons in the restaurant at the time of the attack are permit holders… permit holders who are law-abiding and defenseless in these designated Gun Free Zones.
The screen shot below is taken from the Ohio Concealed Carry Laws Manual, Page 14, provided by the Attorney General:
While a private business has every right to restrict people from carrying firearms into their shops if they want, I can only hope that incidents like this one will make them think twice about their current policies. It’s a damn shame that out of an estimated 460,000 Ohio concealed carry permit holders, not one of them can legally defend themselves in these Gun Free Zones.
Four people were injured in the attack. The attacker was later found by police in a vehicle, and he was shot dead by police when he produced his machete and another knife.
[H/T TG]
