Gun Permit Requests Double in First Half of 2013
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JACKSON, Tenn. – If you are interested in getting your handgun carry permit, state officials said you are not alone. So far this year, more than 80,000 Tennesseans have applied for new gun carry permits – a big increase from last year. The State Department of Safety and Homeland Security said it has seen a 113 percent increase in handgun carry permit applications in the first six months of this year. Those who already have their permits said they are not surprised. “Due to all the recent mass shootings that we’ve heard about in other areas of the country, I feel that most of those shootings could have been prevented if there would have been an armed citizen with a permit there to put a stop to it,” said Dale Rogers, who has had a handgun permit for about 20 years. “When tragedies happen, such as Newtown and even the Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin shooting, it seems to remind people they need to go and get their permit and they’ve been putting it off,” said gun safety instructor Frankie Lax. Lax said many are also wanting permits, because they are afraid of stricter gun control in the future. He believes interest will only continue to increase. “I feel that by having the weapon on me, you know, that gives me the ability to defend myself and my family if needed be,” Rogers said. That is why Lax plans to offer more classes, in addition to the monthly classes he already teaches. “We have a number of calls that come into this office every day – when and where we’re going to teach the class,” Lax said. “A lot of questions about the permit and so forth. And we’ve been doing it for several years, and the increased volume of attendance in our classes. I didn’t forsee this years ago.”
