Gun Owners Afraid of Losing Rights
Authorities say Adam Lanza killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School, his mother and himself on Friday.
In the midst of an outcry over stricter gun control laws, experts in Tampa Bay say gun owners are afraid of losing their ability to purchase guns after big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Dick's Sporting Goods announced changes in their stocking preferences following Friday's shooting in Newtown, Conn.
"The requests I'm getting are that they're scared they'll lose their rights," said Shawn Penwell, general manager of Shooting Sports, 7811 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.
While handguns are the store's "dominant seller," Penwell said the AR-15 - a semi-automatic rifle authorities say the shooter used in Newtown - has become more popular with customers after Wal-Mart removed the gun from its online listings this week.
"There's an uptick in AR-15 rifles because the concern there is, they won't be able to purchase them."
Above all, Penwell said gun owners want to use their weapons without causing anyone harm, and want to be responsible with the equipment.
"They want to be safe with it and learn how to defend themselves," he said. "I won't hand somebody a rifle and say it's a good home defense weapon."
What do you think about the gun control issue? Are you a gun owner? Tell us in the comments.
Gray Ghost
7:04 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
When will people wake up to the reality that guns are no different than a car. Both are useless without a person operating them. Many more people are killed and deformed by cars every year than are by guns. This country has a real problem with putting responsibility where it belongs. It is the major issue for all of us and needs to be understood. This goes far beyond the gun issue. Unfortunilty we have past the tipping point where the irrespnosible now out number the responsible. Its like the kids are running the world now. what a mess. Back to the gun issue. You emotional liberal gun haters need to try and calm down. You need to try to be logical, I know that it is hard for you, but try. Blame the person, not the inanimate object. Very simple isn't it.