Chattanooga Shooting: Bullet-Riddled Glass Door With ‘Gun Free Zone’ Sign At Building Where Shooting Took Place Sparks Debate

Photos of the Chattanooga shooting scene showing a bullet-riddled glass door with a “gun free zone” sign have caused many gun advocates to remark on what they consider the irony of the sign on the door of the building where Thursday’s deadly shooting took place.

The alleged gunman, identified as Kuwaiti-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez of Hixson, Tennessee, with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee, shot and killed at least four Marines Thursday afternoon at two military bases in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Images of the shooting scene uploaded online, showing the “gun free zone” sign on the bullet-riddled glass door, sparked a debate on social media last night, with many gun advocates arguing that the latest shooting proves the wrongheadedness of enforcing “gun free zone” policy at military bases.

The gunman reportedly opened fire randomly at two military facilities in Chattanooga.

According to the Tennessean, Abdulazeez stopped his car in front of a building used as a military recruitment center and fired shots randomly through the glass doors from his car.

He then drove to another facility in Chattanooga, a Navy-Marine training center, according to the Tennessean, where, again, he opened fire.

Many gun advocates are pointing out the irony of the fact that at the recruitment center where the attack began, there were bullet holes in the glass door right next to the sign that designated the area a “gun free zone,” thus banning people from carrying guns within the facility.

Gun advocates commenting on the irony sparked a debate on social media, with many suggesting that the policy should be reviewed.

In an interview with CNN, a former NYPD police officer, Harry Houck, said the incident highlights the need to change the “gun free zone” policy at military bases, implemented during the administration of President Bill Clinton.

“I’m a Marine. And this really is hitting me a little harder here than normal that [these Marines] weren’t able to protect themselves at the time this occurred. We need people that are armed.”

Houck noted that the gunman was able to launch a second attack undeterred at another location seven miles away from the first only because well-trained military personnel at both locations were unable to defend themselves due to the “gun free zone” policy that effectively disarmed them.

Commenting in the same vein, the conservative-leaning Washington Examiner argued that Thursday’s incident proved the controversial GOP presidential aspirant Donald Trump right.

According to the Washington Examiner, in an earlier interview with the website Ammoland, Trump had criticized the policy of enforcing “gun free zones” at military bases, saying that it prevented otherwise capable men and women from defending themselves during attacks at military bases.

He promised that as president, the policy would be discontinued.

“As Commander-in-Chief, I would mandate that soldiers remain armed and on alert at our military bases.

“President Clinton never should have passed a ban on soldiers being able to protect themselves on bases. America’s Armed Forces will be armed…

“They will be able to defend themselves against terrorists. Our brave soldiers should not be at risk because of policy created by civilian leadership. Political correctness has no place in this debate.”

The “gun free zone” policy, implemented by President Clinton, allows military police to be armed at military bases but prohibits other soldiers from being armed.

Trump, who has a permit to carry, is considered a strong supporter of the Second Amendment

In his stated opinion, “Gun control does not reduce crime. It has consistently failed to stop violence.”

“Americans are entitled to protect their families, their property and themselves. In fact, in right-to-carry states the violent crime rate is 24 percent lower than the rest of the United States and the murder rate is 28 percent lower. This should not be up for debate.”

[Images: Getty; Twitter via The Blaze]