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An armed U.S. population doesn’t sound very safe

In this Jan. 13, 2014 file photo, California State Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, displays a homemade fully automatic rifle, confiscated by the Department of Justice, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif.
In this Jan. 13, 2014 file photo, California State Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, displays a homemade fully automatic rifle, confiscated by the Department of Justice, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. Rich Pedroncelli AP

I must take issue with the recent letter from Mike Sassard (“Trained armed citizens would help keep America safe,” June 24).

I can picture the scenario of a nut opening fire in a dark, crowded theater, and half a dozen armed citizens with minimal, if any, training and experience, looking to shoot the first armed gunman they see. Doesn't sound very safe to me.

And when you consider that President Reagan was shot while surrounded by a highly trained and heavily armed security force, you will never convince me that guns will keep the populace safe.

Mike Stiles, Los Osos

This story was originally published July 1, 2017 at 7:44 PM with the headline "An armed U.S. population doesn’t sound very safe."

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