Police Chiefs say it is harder to protect Citizens with Easy Open Carry Laws.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/11/open-carry-mass-shooting-colorado-police-chiefs

An armed civilian outside an Air Force recruiting office in Colorado Springs, July 2015.Michael Ciaglo/The Gazette via AP

It wasn't a matter of if, but when it would happen. On Saturday in Colorado Springs, a man exercising his right under state law to openly carry a rifle in the streets went on a rampage, killing three people before police took him out in a hail of bullets. Just before the attack, an alarmed neighbor saw the man walking around armed and dialed 911. The dispatcher explained to her that it was legal to carry a gun in public. Her 911 call wasn't deemed urgent—the police did not process it as "the highest priority call for service," a Colorado Springs PD official confirmed to Mother Jones yesterday. She soon dialed 911 again, after the killing had begun.

Exactly when and how the two 911 calls played out remains unclear: The Colorado Springs PD has so far denied open records requests and refused to provide any further information about the calls, citing an ongoing investigation into the rampage. [Update, Nov. 5: Audio of the calls has been released, listen here.] The 911 caller, Naomi Bettis, spoke further to local news outlet The Gazette late Tuesday:

"I didn't like the first dispatcher," Bettis said. "Because she says 'You know in Colorado, they do have an open/concealed weapon law.'" Bettis said the time between her 911 calls was "not very long, but it seemed like forever."

The Gazette also interviewed several Colorado police chiefs about how the state's open carry law affects their mission to protect public safety. Their responses were sobering: