Letter: Allow carry permits in all instances

I, like I expect most, assumed that Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., was a gun-free zone. I would wager that the shooter probably had the same assumption. In Oregon, holders of state-issued concealed-carry permits are allowed to carry at community colleges, unlike at the seven universities that are within the university system.

Would the shooter have been deterred from shooting people had he known that they might be able to defend themselves? We may never know.

It took eight minutes for the police to respond and exchange shots with the gunman. During this time people were being systematically murdered. If he had been armed, perhaps Army veteran and student Chris Mintz could have put an early end to the killing spree instead of being shot seven times in his unarmed confrontation with the shooter.

It is time to re-evaluate the supposed benefits and real harm that can result from current gun-free zone laws.

From my search, the following appear to be true — but no guarantee: The Washington state website says that state permit holders may not carry onto, or possess weapons on, public or private elementary or secondary schools. From the Washington State University police website, it appears that residents are not allowed to be armed there. Clark College implies permit holders can carry there.