<p>I just don’t think it’s possible to protect society from this kind of random act. If that friend had called the police I doubt they would have had any interest. People act strangely all the time and rarely show up at a mall with a gun.</p>
<p>Someone earlier wrote that maybe the mall could develop safety procedures - like WHAT? I just don’t think you can defend against this kind of bizarre behavior. A sad fact indeed.</p>
<p>In Israel, they have metal detectors at the entrances to every mall. Someone on the news last night said that Americans wouldn’t want that. Hell, I would.</p>
<p>I don’t go to malls very much at all – maybe once a year or so – and I think this Christmas I’ll stay away. </p>
<p>Also movie theaters, elementary schools, high schools, gyms (remember the fellow who shot up some aerobics class at a gym in LA?), and any other public place.</p>
<p>I don’t. The odds of being shot by a random stranger in most places are incredibly small. The odds of being really annoyed on every shopping trip are very high.</p>
<p>Violent crime is going down. No need for our paranoia to go up.</p>
<p>I don’t go to malls very often but because most of their stores have nothing I want or need. And I have learned to do most of my Christmas shopping online. Saves gas & time!!</p>
<p>The biggest risk reducer from not visiting malls is eliminating the trip in your car! Driving is about THE most dangerous activity there is.</p>
<p>“Wall St. Journal is reporting Shoop was despondent about a break-up with a girlfriend.”</p>
<p>I could go on and on. As we become a nation of those with girlfriends and those without we will be seeing much more of this in the future.</p>
<p>Personal responsability anyone?</p>
<p>Risk of death by assault by firearm is 1 in 340 in the US. I wonder what portion of that risk is due to this type public place indiscriminate shooting?</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nsc.org/news_resources/injury_and_death_statistics/Documents/Injury_Facts_43.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nsc.org/news_resources/injury_and_death_statistics/Documents/Injury_Facts_43.pdf</a></p>
<p>The lack of girlfriend explanation does not seem to play out since the male/female ratio in China is so out of balance that they should be having lots of public killings. And, in Japan, there are recent articles that the youth have given up on sex. So where are all the public killings there?</p>
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<p>It also saves a WHOLE LOT of aggravation. Just the parking can be stressful at Christmas, and I’m not even one to look for the close parking spaces.</p>
<p>The key to North Park is get there early Sunday morning.</p>
<p>I don’t shop that often. I honestly don’t remember the last time I went to the mall. </p>
<p>I love black Friday shopping though. People watching is by FAR the best part.
Besides that, I do most of my holiday shopping online. No parking :D</p>
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<p>One of my D1’s friends had a gun pulled on her in the Nordstrom parking garage. I don’t like going there anymore.</p>
<p>I DO, of course, go there from time to time. I find that getting there first thing in the morning on a weekday morning works best for me. 
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<p>But I’d still rather shop online. And do most of the time, unless it’s for clothes and shoes.</p>
<p>Back in 1985 a woman drove to a local mall, got out of her car, started shooting, entered the mall and continued shooting until she was disarmed. People were killed and wounded. She frequented the mall and was known by security to have MH issues.</p>
<p>The mall was found negligent and settled in court for millions. The jury believed the mall security should have stopped her as they knew she had MH problems.</p>