A man opened-fire in Colorado Springs on Saturday killing three random passersby and, according to local residents, it certainly appears that this shooting could have been prevented.
Bettis said she recognized the gunman as her neighbor — whom she didn't know by name — and that before the initial slaying she saw him roaming outside with a rifle. She called 911 to report the man, but a dispatcher explained that Colorado has an open carry law that allows public handling of firearms.
After the shooter was initially reported for carrying a rifle, he opened fire at seemingly random people.
This could have been prevented or at the very least minimized had authorities responded to the initial report. It wouldn't necessarily be fair to blame the local police department, however, because Colorado is indeed an open-carry state.
State lawmakers are responsible for this.