In Texas the responding officers waited over an hour before engaging the killer inside Robb Elementary school. Nineteen students and two teachers lost their lives.

In Nashville – a private Christian academy for preschool through sixth grade – the responding officers engaged immediately. On bodycam footage you hear an officer at the entrance door yelling, “Give me three!” “Let’s get three.” “Let’s go!” Three officers form up, enter, and begin clearing and searching for the killer. Less than three minutes later – around 152 seconds – the threat is down. "We will not wait," Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake stated. "I was hoping this day would never ever come here in this city,” he said, “but we will never wait to make entry and to go in and stop a threat."

An immediate response is also required during a self-defense confrontation. The violence in most physical and personal attacks violence will be over in a matter of a few seconds. The longer the threat(s) have control of the situation – and you - the fewer chances there will be for you to initiate an appropriate reaction. Your “reaction,” whether avoidance and escape are applied or the situation requires the use of force, can’t be delayed. If required to fight, your response must be concentrated, applying more force against the threat(s) than they’re using against you. The threat(s) must be stopped efficiently. The longer the fight lasts, the more chances there are of you being injured, or worse.

Of course, this recent school shooting in Nashville has prompted the all too familiar responses. “Ban assault weapons!” and, “More gun control!” You can ban this or that. It won’t change a thing. Guns and “Freedom” are part of America’s DNA. Banning firearms of any type won’t make them magically disappear. As we all know, criminals don’t care about the “law.” There will still be plenty of people with violent tendencies, intent on using force against others and causing harm by any means available. (Countries that have enacted strict gun laws have seen significant increases in attacks and homicides using knives/edged weapons.)

Humans can be evil. We’re one of only a few creatures that attack and kill their own kind with regularity. And, a study the psychology and sociology involved will reveal that our culture and society actually promotes the use of force and violence in response to personal problems. But people are also one of the rare “beasts” that will defend others who are being mistreated or attacked. This is mankind’s history, and future. Those of us who are able and willing must constantly be prepared, for both the best and worst of mankind.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy. He is the author of The Book of Two Guns, AR-15 Skills and Drills, has a regular column in American Handgunner and makes some cool knives and custom revolvers. www.shootrite.org or visit Shootrite’s Facebook page for other details.