MID-HUDSON – The nation is still feeling the emotional sting of the murderous shootings in El Paso on Saturday and in Dayton early Sunday morning.
A 21-year-old man opened fire at a Walmart shopping center in El Paso killing 22 people and wounded more than two dozen more.
Hours later, early Sunday morning, a gunman opened fire in downtown Dayton, Ohio, killing nine people including his sister and wounding more than a dozen. That shooter was taken down.
Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois said placing armed security guards at shopping centers would be one way to help prevent future similar acts of violence in public places.
“It is a deterrent to harden the target and have armed security there and maybe businesses and malls are going to have to go the same route with mass gatherings of people out there shopping. Maybe that’s the route they are going to have to go,” DuBois said.
Sullivan County Sheriff Michael Schiff said any security taken is a positive.
“To be effective they would have to be armed guards and they would have to have a high level of training, but if that can be accomplished, it does no harm and it certainly could prevent a tragedy or help shorten a tragedy; mitigate it,” Schiff said.
Some area malls have unarmed uniformed guards walking the corridors.
In recent months, many houses of worship have hired armed guards for security during services.
DuBois said the nation needs to pay more attention to mental health issues.
DuBois, a Republican, discounted those who have already suggested the rise in shootings in public places has to do with President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks and tweets about immigration. “It didn’t start when he was elected. There have been shootings a long time before that.”
Clarkstown Police posted a statement on Facebook late Saturday, saying “There are no current threats to our area. We remember the victims and pray for their families in the occurrence of another senseless shooting.”
