A frightening incident in Oklahoma highlights one of the reasons for our Constitution’s Second Amendment right to bear arms: In some cases, police simply cannot arrive fast enough to protect people from intruders in their homes.
Two men recently tried to get into the home of a newly widowed young mother in rural Blanchard, Okla. The woman, Sarah Dawn McKinley, called 911 and asked the operator whether she could shoot if the men came through the door. The operator advised her to protect her infant son however she had to.
The police had not arrived when one of the men — armed with a hunting knife — burst in. McKinley was left with no choice. She shot and killed the intruder. The second man fled but was captured.
We should all hope never to be in such a terrifying situation. But a would-be criminal’s knowledge that his potential victim might be armed prevents many crimes from even beginning, and responsible gun ownership provides a measure of protection against determined offenders.