Colorado Republican: It Was Actually 'A Good Thing' Aurora Shooter Had 100-Round Magazine

[SecularMotion]

Colorado Republican Sen. Bernie Herpin (Colo. Springs) is facing backlash for saying that it was "maybe a good thing" that accused gunman James Holmes used a 100-round ammunition magazine during the 2012 Aurora theater shooting. The massacre left 12 people dead and more than 70 wounded.

"As it turns out, that was maybe a good thing that he had a 100-round magazine because it jammed," Herpin said Wednesday during a hearing on a bill that would repeal a state ban on high-capacity magazines that hold more than 15 rounds.

"If he had four, five, six 15-round magazines, there’s no telling how much damage he could have done until a good guy with a gun showed up," Herpin added.

Herpin was responding to a question from state Sen. Irene Aguilar (D-Denver) which outlined the fact that Holmes purchased the 100-round magazine legally prior to the shooting -- and that had the high-capacity magazine ban been in place back in 2012, Holmes wouldn't have been able to purchase an ammunition magazine that held so many rounds.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/13/bernie-herpin-colorado-magazine_n_4781460.html

[Straw Man]

1. A "good thing" because ...

... in his opinion, it resulted in fewer deaths than might otherwise have occurred. Perhaps you disagree with his opinion, but in the absence of any such statement from you, one can only conclude that you don't think a lower death toll was "a good thing."

[ManiacJoe]

2. The facts are not always pretty.

Those 100-round mags are very unreliable. In this case it jammed, as one would expect, preventing more people from being shot with it. It is safe to say that if the shooter had used more reliable equipment, more there would have been more victims.

The size of the magazine was not the problem. The problem was Holmes had access to a firearm, any firearm.

[gejohnston]

3. IIRC

he fired two rounds out the the shotgun and fired 40 or 50 rounds from the AR before it jammed and Holmes switched to the shotgun and a pistol. If that's the case, Herpin's argument is as invalid as it is insensitive and stupid. Although Morse is a condescending ass, his replacement (Herpin) is either an asshole or sap.