‘Lawlessness’ cited for spike in weapons permits

By AUDREY PARENTE
Staff Writer

HOLLY HILL — The bursts from handguns at an indoor shooting range echo the growing number of persons in Florida carrying concealed weapons.

“We get new shooters all the time,” said Brian Sherman, 24, owner of E-Z Gun & Pawn Inc. and Hot Shot Indoor Shooting Range on North Nova Road. “Sometimes up to 30 new shooters a day, and on some Saturdays there can be a two-hour wait.”

The increase coincides with a boost in new concealed weapons licenses issued over the past five years — up 101.6 percent from 2001 according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing.

From July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002, new licenses totaled 36,306. The same time period in 2006-2007 saw 73,179 new licenses issued.

Despite the timing of the sharp rise in the years after 9/11, experts said the increase doesn’t relate so much to terrorism as it does to crime — including violent crimes involving firearms, up 12.6 percent in 2006, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

“Since 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security has been trying to tell the public to be responsible for their own safety,” said Lt. Greg Arthur, Homeland Security contact for the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

National Rifle Association spokeswoman Marion Hammer said “looting following hurricane damage” and “lawlessness in devastated areas disturbed people,” and “a number of continuing situations” since 9/11 have brought people to realize that they are responsible for their own protection.

Forrest Buckwald, owner of Buck’s Gun Rack in Daytona Beach, related the rise to a “general sense of unease and fear.” He said “one way people respond to that is to carry a weapon.”

Peter Hamm, spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence based in Washington, D.C., said Florida makes getting a gun permit too easy.

“Florida has gone gun-culture mad, with two governors in a row telling people who feel threatened that you should feel free to use deadly force,” he said.

Max Lankford, former owner of the Holly Hill indoor shooting range who still works there part time, pointed to the 2005 law related to justifiable use of force against an intruder in a dwelling or vehicle as having some impact on people opting for concealed weapons. But he pins the license increase on crime.

“I don’t think 9/11 has much to do with the increase other than it may have shown people their vulnerability,” Lankford said.

“And another thing is that we are reciprocal now with 31 states, which means we allow them to carry in our state and we can carry in their state,” he said. Reciprocity legislation passed in 1999, but “five to 10 of those states came on in the last several years,” Lankford said.

Three percent of shooters at Hot Shot are vacationers like Paul and Cathy Summers of Somerville, N.J.

“It’s homey,” was Cathy Summers’ description of the range. She and her husband both work at Rutgers University and frequent ranges in reciprocal states from Pennsylvania to Florida, she said.

Orlando trial attorney Jon Gutmacher, a firearms instructor and author of “Florida Firearms Law, Use and Ownership,” said interest in his 1993 book increased after 9/11, but sales have spiked in recent years.

“It’s hit home that you have to defend yourself because the police don’t get there in time,” he said in a phone interview. “I get a lot of e-mails in response to a column (in Sportsman’s Gazette), my book and my Web site (www.floridafirearmslaw.com), and the primary consideration is basically always about protecting their homes. They are really worried and believe (carrying a concealed weapon) may be the only way to do it.”

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Concealed weapons licenses

Reported as of July 2007:

? The total number of licensees statewide is 439,082.

? 85 percent of licensees are male.

? Licensees in Volusia County total 13,440, Flagler County 2,497.

? In July 2007, more than 16,250 persons applied for concealed weapons permits.

SOURCE: Florida Department of Agriculture, Division of Licensing

Why do you carry a concealed weapon?

P.J. Colandro, 29, of Palm Coast, a restaurant general manager: “I got my gun license in March ’03 to protect my family due to an increase in crime.”

Tim Breter, 48, of Ormond Beach, a Volusia County School employee: “I have had one off and on since I was 19 years old. Originally I worked in security through college, so I carried weapons then. But most recently, two years ago, I renewed it for self-defense.”

William H. Timoney, 78, Palm Coast, retired: “I first got it about 10 or 12 years ago — because I belong to a gun club and target shoot.”