If the shooter is a "lone nut", there is barely enough local, state and federal law enforcement officers to cover all the "targets of opporunity" while taking care of the usual levels of crime.
If the shooter is a terrorist or a part of a terrorist cell, then the LEOs are woefully understaffed to protect / monitor possible targets, usual levels of crime AND the the very real potential for "street justice" against those whom locals think may be involved with the shootings. This is a significant problem with all the fear ginned un in the communities involved.
On a good day, law inforcement responds to crime - it rarely prevents it. It is a reactionary measure to very bad social behavior. Just imagine if the "offical" word gets out that there are professional terrorists among the population who are acting with near-impunity. That would result in some serious problems for civil and social order.
jriemer
That's right. Citizens might actually take some action to protect themselves.
I know what you are thinking, but that's not what would happen.
First, people would organize the mall equivalent of neighborhood watches, carry video cameras, audio recorders. A simple four-track audio recording could pinpoint the exact location of any shot, and be coordinated with video. We're talking about a few hundred dollars per location.