MORE EVIDENCE that we may need to apply gun control to police, first:

FORT WORTH – Police acknowledged Friday that an undercover officer was masked and brandishing a gun when she was shot by a store clerk who believed that he was about to be robbed. . . .

Bao Nguyen, son of the store owner, said the masked officer never identified herself as a police officer as she entered the business at 968 Elmwood Ave. He also said he did not see any police insignia on the officer’s raid jacket — only a “dark figure” with a gun — when he pulled his .380-caliber handgun and fired once.

“In my mind, I knew if I didn’t shoot this person, they’re going to shoot me first and then my dad,” Nguyen, 28, said.

Police said they are investigating whether the officer followed proper procedure when she walked into the store wearing a mask and carrying a gun, instead of waiting for the suspect to exit.

What’s sad is that stories like this one, or this one are not all that unusual. Of course, there are those who would argue that the solution is to ensure that nobody but police officers can have guns. Given that approach’s dismal failure in Britain, though, I think that a better solution is to teach police officers that it’s really dangerous, and usually stupid, to go into homes or businesses unannounced and with weapons drawn. How hard can that be? Apparently, it’s a challenge.

UPDATE: Reader Jim Dewey makes an excellent point:

Since when do cops wear masks? The Lone Ranger was a vigilante using silver bullets to maim his victims, not a role model.

Cops don’t have to follow the Geneva Convention, but this SAS-model of masked cops is an unsafe deception on the American public. Who are we supposed to trust?

Yep. Though in his defense, the Lone Ranger (1) didn’t do drug raids; (2) worked for free; and (3) was a good shot.