You have probably heard very little on this story. That’s for two reasons. One, not enough people were killed to qualify as a mass shooting. And two, the reason not enough people were killed to qualify as a mass shooting was the shooter ran into a good guy with a gun, a concealed carry holder.
In summary, on 11 Dec 2012, Jacob Roberts entered the Clackamas Town Center in Clackamas, Oregon, wearing a mask and carrying a stolen AR15. After killing two and wounding one, he moved to another part of the Mall where he ran into Nick Meli, a concealed carry holder. When Meli pointed his Glock 22 at Roberts, Roberts realized the Mall was no longer his private shooting gallery, retreated to a remote stairwell and shot himself. Meli didn’t fire because of innocent bystanders in his line of fire. But the mere presence of an armed defender facing the shooter ended the situation with only one more shot being fired, the one the shooter used to end his life.
If you Google Clackamas Town Center Shooting, lots of stories will come up. Many omit the part Nick Meli played in ending the situation. Especially stories from the networks and major media outlets. It does not serve their narrative to show where a good guy with a gun stopped a bad guy with a gun. They credit the low body count to police reacting quickly, employees following procedures, and the Mall wasn’t that crowded. Really? News reports indicate there were between 8,000 and 10,000 in the Mall at the time and while the first Police unit arrived one minute after the first 911 call, it took 22 minutes to find the shooter. It’s estimated Roberts was dead four minutes after he fired the first his first shot. And now, two years after the incident, more stories are appearing to discredit Meli’s part in incident. Basically, since no one saw Meli confront Roberts, it didn’t happen. It’s the reverse of “I think, therefor it is”. If it’s contrary to my beliefs and I didn’t see it, it didn’t happen.
What makes more sense, the shooter enters the Mall, a posted gun-free zone, with 150+ rounds; only fires 17, hitting three people, then runs to a remote stairwell and kills himself. Or the shooter enters the Mall, with 150 rounds, fires 17, hitting three people, then is confronted by an armed citizen. The shooter is unprepared for this as the Mall is a gun-free zone, retreats and shoots himself insuring he won’t be taken alive.
You decide.