Gun management advocates wasted no time exploiting tragedy for political acquire. Earlier than investigators even decided what kind of firearm was used or the way it was obtained, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords rushed to demand congressional motion following the December 13, 2025 capturing at Brown College in Windfall, Rhode Island. The assault left two college students lifeless and 9 others injured, however Giffords issued her name for restrictions whereas vital info remained unknown.
The capturing occurred round 4:00 p.m. contained in the Barus and Holley constructing, which homes the College of Engineering and Physics Division, whereas college students took closing exams. Two Brown College college students, Ella Prepare dinner and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, misplaced their lives within the assault. Eight victims suffered gunshot wounds and had been hospitalized at Rhode Island Hospital, with one further particular person injured by a fraction.
Officers held a press convention at 6:30 p.m. to report they didn’t know what kind of firearm was used and didn’t have a suspect in custody. They mentioned solely that they had been in search of a male “wearing black.” Between the capturing and the press convention, when even fewer particulars had been recognized, Giffords used an X put up to induce Congress to behave.
“My coronary heart breaks for Brown College,” Giffords wrote. “College students ought to solely have to fret about learning for finals proper now, not hiding from gunfire. Weapons are the main reason behind loss of life for younger folks in America — this can be a 5 alarm hearth and our leaders in Washington have ignored it for too lengthy. Individuals are bored with ready round for Congress to resolve that defending children issues.”
Giffords didn’t specify what motion she needed Congress to take. Nobody knew what sort of gun was used or how the attacker acquired it. The motivation remained unknown, as did the attacker’s age, faith, and race or ethnicity. Officers on the 6:30 p.m. press convention didn’t even verify whether or not these killed had been college students on the college.
This reflexive rush to politicize tragedy earlier than info emerge reveals the gun management playbook. Advocates exploit public emotion whereas particulars stay murky, hoping to push restrictive laws earlier than rational evaluation can happen. They current sweeping federal mandates as options with out ready to know whether or not current legal guidelines failed or whether or not the proposed restrictions would have prevented the precise incident.
Sen. Chuck Schumer joined the refrain calling for extra gun management in response to the handgun assault. But Schumer conspicuously failed to say a vital element about Brown College. The campus operates as a gun free zone.
Brown College maintains strict weapons insurance policies that prohibit firearms on campus. The coverage extends as far as to forestall even hid carry allow holders from being armed on campus for self-defense. Legislation-abiding residents who bear background checks, full coaching, and procure permits sanctioned by the state can’t train their Second Modification rights to guard themselves at Brown.
This inconvenient reality undermines the gun management narrative. The attacker ignored Brown’s gun free zone coverage, simply as criminals persistently ignore gun management legal guidelines. In the meantime, potential victims who may need defended themselves and others had been disarmed by college coverage. The capturing occurred in an area the place solely the attacker had a firearm, making a goal wealthy setting the place defenseless college students couldn’t struggle again.
Gun-free zones create the phantasm of security whereas guaranteeing vulnerability. They inform criminals that victims shall be unarmed and unable to withstand. They remodel colleges, universities, and public areas into comfortable targets the place mass casualty assaults can proceed unimpeded till police arrive. Brown College’s weapons coverage didn’t cease Saturday’s assault. It ensured that nobody might cease the attacker till legislation enforcement responded.
Giffords and Schumer demand that Congress “do one thing” with out acknowledging that current restrictions failed to forestall this tragedy. They ignore that Brown College already applied the gun-free zone insurance policies they champion. They refuse to contemplate that disarming law-abiding residents leaves them defenseless towards armed criminals who ignore prohibitions.
The Second Modification exists exactly as a result of Individuals have the fitting to defend themselves. Gun management advocates exploit each tragedy to chip away at that proper, proposing restrictions that burden the law-abiding whereas doing nothing to cease criminals. Saturday’s capturing at Brown College demonstrates as soon as once more that gun free zones fail to guard anybody. They solely be sure that victims stay defenseless when evil strikes.
About José Niño
José Niño is a contract author based mostly in Charlotte, North Carolina. You may contact him by way of Fb and X/Twitter. Subscribe to his Substack e-newsletter by visiting “Jose Nino Unfiltered” on Substack.com.
