By Michael McCosker | France

On Friday in the small French town of Trèbes, a lone gunmen hijacked a car, injured sixteen, and killed three. The 26-year-old Islamic extremist took hostages in a supermarket in the southern French tourist town. After a few hours-long standoff, the police did manage to storm the supermarket and kill the terrorist. 1

One of the hostages was police officer Col. Arnaud Beltrame, who willingly exchanged himself for one of the hostages, and provided crucial information by leaving his cellphone in a call with the hostage negotiators. 1 Through the phone call, police heard gunshots going off inside of the supermarket, and stormed the supermarket.

Immediately after the event, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The man is identified as Redouane Lakdim, and he also told his hostages that he was fighting on behalf of the Islamic State. Lakdim, while in the supermarket with his hostages, demanded the release of Salah Abdeslam, the suspect that may be responsibly for the attack in Paris that left 130 dead. 2 His short-lived rampage started in the nearby medieval town of Carcassonne, which was a 15-minute drive from Trèbes. Another unnamed individual was arrested in connection with the shootings. Lakdim is Moroccan born, and currently, there is no knowledge of how he obtained his weapon, nor when Ladkim came to become radicalized. 1

This horrific tragedy comes at a time when most of America is focused on a debate banning all, or limited amounts, of firearms and who can purchase them. However, this attack is a prime example of how mass murdering psychopaths will obtain firearms regardless of the laws. France has some very strict gun laws, and every single one of their laws was broken in this rampage.3 No, gun control does not protect innocent people, instead, it gets people killed. In order to prevent people from dying, allow them to protect themselves.

Featured image source.