Law enforcement officials across the country are calling on citizens to carry weapons after the mass shooting that left 14 people dead in Southern California.
Philip Kamrass / AP
Just days after 14 people were killed in an attack in Southern California, some sheriffs and police chiefs are urging Americans to arm themselves, a request that has come from law enforcement officials across the country.
The call to arms is not a universal one, but the messages from law enforcement officials have spread quickly on social media as sales of firearms have spiked after the San Bernardino shooting.
"Like each of you, I've had enough of terrorists and others deciding to target US citizens because they want to make a statement," Brevard County Florida Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a video message. "If you're a person who is legally licensed to carry a firearm, now is the time more than ever to realize you and you alone may be the first line of defense for you, your family, and others around you in a terrorist or active shooter scenario."
The requests have been mainly aimed to concealed-weapon permit holders, but at least one police chief called for "all my law-abiding citizens" to carry so if officers need help the public could respond "to our aid and rescue."
Officials from Maricopa County, Arizona, Lewis County, Washington, Ulster County, New York, and Hughes Springs, Texas, have made similar requests in the past week.
One of the first requests came from Ulster County, New York, Sheriff Paul J. Van Blarcum, who posted a message on Facebook the day after the San Bernardino shooting, which the FBI is now investigating as a terrorist attack.
"I urge you to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm," Van Blarcum wrote. "To ensure the safety of yourself and others, make sure you are comfortable and proficient with your weapon, and knowledgeable of the laws in New York State with regards to carrying a weapon and when it is legal to use it."
Hours later, Sheriff Mike Carpinelli of Lewis County, Washington, posted Van Blarcum's message on his Facebook page and said he urged his residents to do the same.
And on Monday, Sheriff Ivey asked members of the public who carry concealed weapons to be "proactively engage anyone who threatens harm through terrorism or mass killings."
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Ivey said in his video, before inviting residents to participate in active shooting training provided by his department. "This is about being able to defend and survive."
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1ltd28A
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