The attack could have been prevented. The administration of CCCC has no power to put in place policies, however, which could prevent such attacks in the future. NC General Statute 14-269.2 prohibits the possession or carrying on educational property of a handgun, the most effective means of self-defense or stopping an armed and violent attack. As if that weren't enough, the law also bans all other weapons that might be effective in such threatening circumstances.

Well-meaning people enacted this law to prevent exactly what happened to Rosa Speagle. It didn't work. Lawbreakers, by definition, do not care about the law. If, however, one of the six or more witnesses to this act had been carrying a legal firearm, Rosa could have been saved before she was taken from crime scene #1 to crime scene #2. Any self-defense instructor will tell you, you don't come back from crime scene #2.

One man was responsible for this horrible act. Only the legislature has the power, though, to repeal this horrible law which makes the students and faculty at CCCC helpless victims, should it happen again.

This letter was printed in the Sanford Herald on Sunday, December 14, 2003