NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – Ben Carson’s call for those caught in mass shootings to rush the attacker is drawing criticism from public safety experts and little support Wednesday from his presidential rivals.
Speaking days after an Oregon community college shooting left 10 dead, the Republican presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon offered advice to potential victims of future attacks.
“I want to plant in people’s minds what to do in a situation like this. Because unfortunately this is probably not going to be the last time this happens,” he told CBS. Earlier, Carson had said that if he had been present at the Oregon attack, he would “not just stand there and let him shoot me. I would say, ‘Hey guys, everybody attack him. He may shoot me, but he can’t get us all.'”
Rushing the shooter should only be used as a last resort, advise public safety experts, including the FBI. Carson’s presidential rivals either didn’t respond to his comments or dismissed them.
“I think Mr. Carson has no idea what he would do” in a mass shooting, said South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham in an interview on CNN. “That’s not what we need to be saying as leaders of the country,” he added. “You have no idea what you would do.”