Well, lo and behold, the Clackamas Town Center Mall shooter was on his merry rounds shooting people when he saw an Armed American.

As so often happens with deranged individuals in mass public attacks, he retreated and committed suicide rather than go up against someone else with a gun.

We have to wonder why it’s been several days before we’ve heard this aspect of the story.

Just like Guns Save Life’s highway sign slogan says:

HERE’S A THOUGHT
FOR YOU TO PONDER
AN ARMED CITIZEN
AS FIRST RESPONDER

Clackamas man, armed, confronts mall shooter

PORTLAND, Ore (KGW) – … Nick Meli is emotionally drained.  The 22-year-old was at Clackamas Town Center with a friend and her baby when a masked man opened fire.

“I heard three shots and turned and looked at Casey and said, ‘are you serious?'”

The friend and baby hit the floor.  Meli, who has a concealed carry permit, positioned himself behind a pillar.

“He was working on his rifle,” said Meli.  “He kept pulling the charging handle and hitting the side.”

The break in gunfire allowed Meli to pull out his own gun, but he never took his eyes off the shooter.

“As I was going down to pull I saw someone in the back of the charlotte move and I knew if I fired and missed I could hit them.”

Meli took cover inside a nearby store.  He never pulled the trigger.  He stands by that decision.

“I’m not beating myself up cause I didn’t shoot him,” said Meli.  “I know after he saw me I think the last shot he fired was the one he used on himself.”

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