Gun-rights supporters push for concealed-carry law
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">If one of last month's Northern Illinois University shooting victims had been able to carry a concealed weapon, she could have stopped the assailant, a gun-rights advocate said Tuesday.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">Valinda Rowe, a firearms instructor from Enfield, rallied with hundreds of others in support of concealed-carry legislation during Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day at the state Capitol.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">The victim Rowe referred to, Julianna Gehant, a 32-year-old Army veteran from Mendota, was one of five students killed when gunman Steven Kasmierczak opened fire in Cole Hall at NIU on Valentine's Day.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">"From the reports I read, she warned everyone, 'Get down, get low, get out of here,' and she was shot and killed," Rowe said.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">Rowe said that because Gehant had military and firearms training, the tragedy might have been lessened or prevented if she was able to shoot a gun instead of just being able to yell.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">"If she had pulled out a firearm and stopped that man, or at least caused him to duck and run, lives could have been saved until help got there," she said.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">Rowe and others were at the rally to support House Bill 4544, proposed by Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria. The bill's fate remained uncertain Tuesday, but Schock said he's still working to attract support.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">HB 4544, also known as the Family and Personal Protection Act, would require individuals to complete a training course in handgun use, safety and marksmanship before they could receive a permit to carry a concealed firearm in the state.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">The bill also requires an applicant to be at least 21 years old. Anyone convicted of a felony or with a history of mental illness, addiction or habitual alcohol use would be prohibited from obtaining a permit.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">The legislation is awaiting consideration in the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">During Tuesday's rally, some gun-rights advocates also spoke out against gun-control proposals that would ban assault weapons, implement ammunition encoding and limit gun purchases to one per month.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, believes that anti-gun legislation is not the solution in preventing tragedies like the NIU shooting.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">"Many (gun control) proposals simply smother the individual gun owner in red tape," he said. "Law-abiding gun owners are getting sick and tired of taking it on the chin every time some violent criminal decides to commit murder and mayhem."
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">Joel Brunsvold, a former state representative and lobbyist for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said he thinks a proposed ban on assault weapons could adversely affect hunters and sports shooters trying to purchase certain types of equipment.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, sponsor of House Bill 4357, which calls for a ban on assault weapons, said a clause in the bill would exempt some shooting competitions.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">"How many shots are you going to need to kill a deer or pheasant? If you can't shoot your target in a matter of three or four rounds, put the gun down," Acevedo said. "A .50-caliber weapon will completely disintegrate the target."
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY"> Gun-rights advocates said they believe that Illinois needs to follow the lead of the other 48 states that already have some kind of concealed-carry law.
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="BODY">Meagan Sexton can be reached at (217) 782-6882.