Ben Carson defends his comment on mass shootings

NEWARK, N.J. — Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Wednesday defended his comments that he would try to overwhelm a shooter and “would not just stand there” in a mass shooting attack.

Critics have said his remarks appeared to blame the victims of shootings, including the latest one at an Oregon community college. Carson said his remark was intended as advice for future attacks.

“I want to plant in people’s minds what to do in a situation like this. Because unfortunately this is probably not going to be the last time this happens,” he told CBS.

Earlier, Carson said if he had been present at the Oregon attack, he would have tried to stop the gunman who killed nine people.

“Not only would I probably not cooperate with him, I would not just stand there and let him shoot me. I would say, ‘Hey guys, everybody attack him. He may shoot me, but he can’t get us all,”‘ he said.

Carson said people are too quick to “set up battle lines” over every comment instead of solving problems.

A gun rights supporter, Carson says one solution is more aggressive intervention for people with psychological problems and keeping guns from people declared dangerous by psychiatrists.