LTE: Concealed-carry can prevent crime tragedy

June 7, 2005
Columbus Dispatch

The May 24 Dispatch article "Missing daddy" was extremely powerful, especially to me. If it weren’t for my father-in-law having a Tennessee permit to carry a concealed handgun, an article in Nashville back in 2000 might have been headlined, "Missing papa," the name my kids have for their grandfather.

After shooting another driver in the face after she gave him her purse, an armed criminal approached Papa’s small pickup with a gun during a traffic jam. Fortunately for us, Papa was armed. He disarmed the criminal without having to fire a shot and held him at gunpoint for 30 minutes until the police arrived.

As it turns out, the criminal was already wanted for another murder and was carrying a stolen gun. Papa got $1,000 from CrimeStoppers, but that didn’t stop the nightmares and fear of retaliation from the gangbanger’s friends or family.

My father-in-law’s experience is what prompted me to realize that, had I been in that situation, I would have been unable to defend myself or my family. So I learned to shoot. I obtained a license to carry my firearm with me. And when I moved home to Ohio, I went looking for an organization that was trying to help ensure that Ohioans didn’t have to be caught defenseless in such a situation. I joined Ohioans For Concealed Carry (www.ohioccw.org).

In 2004, the General Assembly finally voted for legislation that ensures no qualified Ohioan should have to be defenseless. More than 52,000 people already have taken the necessary steps to ensure that if they are put in a similar situation as Papa or Daddy, they will have a fighting chance.

Thanks for this excellent article. Danielle Schmalenberger and her children will be in my prayers.

Chad D. Baus
Archbold