I hope, in a horrifying situation, I'd choose to "copycat" one of them. I can't say, for certain. But I know whom I don't want to copy.

I don't want to copy those who fired off anti-immigrant or anti-Muslim e-mails, using the shooter as "proof" that "illegals" and Muslims are bad. He was, by the way, here legally. Nothing suggests his rampage was a statement of faith.

And I don't want to emulate those calling for a hasty, gut-reaction loosening of gun laws. Changes of that import must be calm and considered. I think we'd have another hero dead if a bunch of panicked people in the mall had been armed Monday night: the Ogden officer who unquestionably saved lives.

In the confusion, a number of witnesses described two gunmen. Hammond was in street clothes. As police unraveled the details of the disaster, they discovered that officer Ken Hammond was the "other gunman," but someone might have assumed he was a bad guy and killed him or another innocent standing nearby.

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Deseret Morning News staff writer Lois M. Collins may be reached by e-mail at lois@desnews.com