Dodging the Bullet

When I read the story about the Virginia legislator who fired his handgun in his legislative office -- right into the bulletproof vest hanging on his office door -- my first thought was: Is the Virginia capitol so dangerous that this man doesn't feel safe without a bulletproof vest and a handgun at work?

It turns out several lawmakers believe so. One delegate, a former state trooper, said Richmond is so dangerous that he always carries his gun to work. Another said delegates have had life-threatening phone calls. But an appalled Senate minority leader said guns should be banned from all government buildings.

Then there's Del. John S. Reid, the shooter and an experienced gun owner who expressed shock and apologized for the accident. Reid says he doesn't actually wear the bulletproof vest. It was a gift. And what a gift it was. Who knows who was walking by when the gun accidentally went off?