That would have been a lot more deadly to the people attacked, it would have been a lot more dangerous to the police. The delusion of the attacker about his deadly weapon of choice wouldn't have been that different; his intent was still harm in either case.
Light saber or firearm, there was no prior requirement of sanity.
And it is still a better outcome, despite the fact that this man was attacking people, that he was not shot, that he was not killed, that he was not substantially injured, and that no one else was either.
THAT is what makes a more civilized society, where problems with people are resolved without ANYONE being harmed, where the person who is creating the problem is held accountable, by due process and through the actions of law enforcement and the courts.
We have greater resources for this than existed at the time of the founding fathers; there have been significant changes. Guns are more lethal. We have greater ability to respond with law enforcement, including the 911 emergency services. We have surveillance capability that we did not have at the time. We have better non-lethal weapons, including tasers and stun guns and various spray products. We have passive defensive protection that exceeds anything that existed at the time of the founding fathers, like kevlar. Most of all, we have communication that was not conceived of at the time of by the founding fathers that allows the summoning of help and the coordination of efforts to overcome a person behaving badly.
Even with a toy stick, this man was wielding a weapon with the intent to harm. Clearly, the police recognized that this man wasn't right in the head and that he was confused and ill. But he could still have harmed someone; someone can be injured even by the bare hands of another person, with or without a weapon.
This looks like an angry and disturbed man. I imagine he is unhappy and resentful when he realizes how foolish he was, how delusional he was, in attacking people with a science fiction / fantasy toy. He should be relieved that he himself was not harmed, and that he is alive and able to get help. I hope he does so, and I hope if he doesn't do so voluntarily, because some kinds of mental illness interferes with a person's ability to make that kind of decision, then I hope he will be compelled to do so for his own sake and for the sake of people around him.
Thank god this man ONLY had a toy, and not a gun, but how terrible that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, preventing him from having obtained one.
From MSNBC.com and the AP :
Would-be Jedi jailed over lightsaber attack
33-year-old targeted shoppers, police with 'Star Wars' toymsnbc.com staff and news service reports
PORTLAND, Oregon — An Oregon judge has used his force to order a 45-day jail sentence and mental health evaluation for a would-be Jedi who attacked toy store customers with a pair of lightsabers.
David Allen Canterbury, 33, told Judge Kenneth Walker that he is already seeking mental health treatment. Canterbury also apologized to his victims.The Oregonian reported that Canterbury pleaded no contest Monday to assault and resisting arrest.
Canterbury had a "Star Wars" lightsaber in each hand as he swung at three customers last Dec. 14 at a Toys R Us store, Portland police said. He carried the lightsabers outside the store and swung at police.
According to The Oregonian, police attempted to shoot Canterbury with a Taser but the suspected deflected one of the wires away.
Officers eventually wrestled him to the ground.
No one was injured, the newspaper reported.
Canterbury has been banned from the toy store.
