The security guard on duty Wednesday at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino was unarmed when two terrorists opened fire in a conference room, killing 14 people and injuring 21 others.
On Friday, IRC public relations specialist Leeza Hoyt told the Los Angeles Times that it was unclear where the guard was positioned when the attack began, but that he or she usually “roves the parking lot.”
Sayeed Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, have been identified as the perpetrators of the attack. The married couple reportedly opened fire on a meeting of county public health officials before fleeing the scene. They were later killed in a shootout with police.
The FBI is investigating the incident as a terrorist attack.
The security guard’s apparent lack of a firearm during the attack will undoubtedly revive the debate over whether security personnel in public places should be equipped with guns in order to respond more quickly to deadly attacks.
Assn. of Regional Center Agencies executive director Eileen Richey told the Times that Inland Regional Center employees receive regular training on “active shooter” scenario response.
Breitbart News’ AWR Hawkins reported on Friday that gun sales and concealed carry permit applications surged across the country in the wake of Wednesday’s terrorist massacre. Gun stores in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and other states reported skyrocketing sales, and concealed carry permit applications were reportedly up more than 100 percent in some counties.