Ohio Sheriff: ‘If You Are Fearful, Arm Yourself’

In the wake of the mass murder of eight members of the Rhoden family in Ohio, Piketon County Sheriff Charles Reader told county residents, “If you are fearful, arm yourself.”

Reader stressed his belief the Rhoden family was singled out on April 22, that they were specifically targeted, and that there is no danger to the community at large. But he said residents who are concerned ought to arm themselves for self-defense.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, Reader told remaining Rhoden family members they need to arm up because they are a target. To other Piketon County residents he said, “I can tell you if you are fearful, arm yourself. If you feel you need to protect yourself or your family, do so and contact the local law-enforcement to come and respond to it.”

Reader’s call to arm up for self-defense was supported by Todd Burkitt, “superintendent of the Scioto Valley schools serving Piketon and the surrounding countryside.” Burkitt said, “It’s a perfectly rational and logical thing to say, it’s just something you don’t usually have to say. Something tragic and scary has happened in our community, and people do have a right to protect themselves, their homes and their families.”

Breitbart News previously reported that the eight murdered family members ranged in age from 16 to 44 years old. CNN reported that marijuana growing operations were discovered on some of the family land shortly after investigations into the murders began. Police still have not determined how many gunmen were involved in the killings.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com