Should there be restrictions in wake of Orland Mall shooting

By Ray Hanania

The shooting of a teenager at the Orland Park Mall on Monday evening (6:45 PM) Jan. 21, 2019 raises questions as to whether or not the mall should impose restrictions to help prevent future gun-related violence.

One person was killed and another was injured when an unknown assailant pulled out. agin and started firing at his victim, whom police believe was targeted.

Orland Park Police were on the scene immediately and after assessing the situation issued an all points bulletin to residents by telephone assuring them that although the suspect was not caught, there was no imminent danger to residents living near or around the mall or in Orland Park. The telephone robocall urged residents to contact the police if they see anything suspicious.

Fortunately, the Orland Park Policer and among the best int he midwest headed by former U.S. Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy, who was wounded in March 30, 1981 during the failed assassination attempt against President Ronald Reagan.

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Shopping mall. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

But maybe the mall needs to do more. Maybe the mall should follow the security protocols of many stadiums and ball parks in requiring checks on bags and bulky items and metal detectors. Maybe there should also be a dress code for young people under the age of 21, limits on how many teenagers under the age of 18 can congregate together, prohibiting loitering int he mall, and openly banning weapons.

Maybe we even need a new law that makes it a mandatory jail term for individuals who bring unlicensed weapons into a mall, unless they are engaged in mall security.

You can weigh in on these and other ideas on a poll I am conducting on the Orland Parker News Facebook Page. What do you think? Here is the info:

#MallShooting #MetalDetectors #DressCode #Poll The #OrlandPark Mall shooting Monday (Jan. 21, 2019) should be a wakeup call for the Southwest region. Should malls like Orland Park add metal detectors and security at entrances (as the ball parks and stadiums do) and impose restrictions including a dress code and limits on young people to improve security? Vote on the issue by visiting the OrlandParker page at https://www.facebook.com/OrlandParkerNews/

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A critic of mainstream news media bias, Hanania advocates for peace & justice for Israel & Palestine, & the empowerment of Arabs in America.

"I write about three topics, the Middle East, politics and life in general. I often take my life experiences and offer them in an entertaining way to readers, and I take on the toughest topics like the Israel-Palestine conflict and don't pull any punches about what I feel is fair. But, my priority is always about writing the good story."

Click Here to LISTEN to Hanania's live radio show on 2nd Friday every month 7 AM CST. Click here to listen to Ray's Podcasts.

His columns are archived here. Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.