What does the term ‘Good Samaritan’ mean?
An everyday citizen is receiving praise and backlash today after killing an active shooter situation at Greenwood Park Mall with a firearm on July 17, 2022.
The shooter, 20-year-old Johnathan Sapirman, had already killed three people and injured two others when a good Samaritan intervened.
What does the term 'Good Samaritan' mean?
The term good Samaritan has roots in a Christian parable from the bible.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Christ shares a parable about a man who is robbed and left for dead on the side of the road.
A man from a different religion comes to his aid.
The term has become synonymous with showing compassion to those in distress, regardless of their differences.
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There are many examples of good Samaritans throughout history, but recently, the term has entered the context of some laws.
What is a Good Samaritan Law?
In an article on Good Samaritan Laws in the , Good Samaritan laws are mainly aimed at doctors who give care outside a traditional medical setting.
The laws protect them if they render aid to someone who needs it without expecting anything in return.
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Another example of a Good Samaritan law is one that more than 40 states and the District of Columbia have adopted in hopes of curbing the opioid crisis.
This example makes anyone witnessing or personally going through an overdose less liable to get in trouble if they call 911, regardless of whether they have drugs on them or not.
The article from the NLM states that: "...we are improved as a society if the potential rescuers (i.e., the good Samaritans) are solely concerned about helping a person in need as opposed to worrying about the possible liability associated with assisting their fellow man or woman."
How do the Good Samaritan laws affect active shooter situations?
In theory, if one or more people in an active shooter situation have concealed firearms and have been trained to use them, the situation is less likely to elevate to a mass casualty scenario.
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In the case of the Greenwood Park Mall shooting, this is an example of a person who had a concealed weapons permit (although guns were not technically allowed in the mall) and stopped the shooter from killing more people by acting heroically.
This case will likely play a significant role in the future of gun control.