Va.;Number of concealed weapon permits has rapidly increased

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Number of concealed weapon permits has rapidly increasedSince Sept. 11, more in Roanoke area carrying guns In Roanoke, October figures increased nearly seven times from last October - from eight to 55. By TAD DICKENS THE ROANOKE TIMES The number of people seeking concealed weapon permits in the Roanoke and New River valleys has leapt in the months since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In the month after the attack, Roanoke, Salem, and Roanoke, Botetourt, Bedford, Franklin and Montgomery counties saw permits more than double from October 2000 totals. The number of permits in November continued to increase in each of those localities, compared with November 2000. Isaac Van Patten, a Radford University criminal justice professor, said the numbers are not surprising. More people seek concealed weapons when a major crime or act of terrorism frightens them, he said. Nationally, the numbers jump after such incidents as the Luby's Cafeteria shootings in Killeen, Texas, in which a gunman killed 23 people before taking his own life in 1991. Locally, Van Patten said, permits spiked slightly after September 2000, when Ronald Gay shot seven people, killing one, in Roanoke's Backstreet Cafe. "So you do see that type of reactive response anytime there is any event that makes people feel less secure in their environment," said Van Patten, who studies terrorism. But not everyone who applied for a permit did so because of the attacks. Twelve people that The Roanoke Times selected at random for interviews said it is just a coincidence that they applied after Sept. 11. Only two said that day's events sparked them to seek the permits; they did not want their names used. "That's not me," said Bill Gearing, 54, of Roanoke, when asked whether the terrorist acts sparked his interest in carrying a concealed weapon. "That just so happens that it was my first opportunity to get it done." Gearing doesn't even plan on carrying his gun, he said. He got the permit as a political statement, because future politicians might try to take that right from him, he said. "I tell my wife the reason I got it is because I refuse to become a victim of random violence," he said. "Saying that would mean I have to carry it around, and I don't know if I'm ready to do that yet." Fellow Roanoker Ricky Dudding, 44, said he got his for personal protection. Tony Dooley, 39, of Roanoke said he got it to protect himself and his money at the convenience store he owns in Franklin County. Ray McFadden, 47, also of Roanoke, said he was simply renewing his permit, which he has had since 1995. Others also probably were seeking renewals of existing permits, employees at court clerk's offices said. October and November numbers allowed the first rough comparison since Sept. 11 because courts have up to 45 days to process applications. That means people who applied after Sept. 11 may not have received approval before October. In Roanoke, October numbers increased nearly by seven times from last October - from eight to 55. They dropped in November, but were still at more than double the November 2000 rate - from nine to 22. Roanoke County judges granted 71 permits in October, up from 26 the previous October. In November, 72 permits were granted, up from 33 at the same time last year. Bedford County permits for October jumped to more than six times their number from a year before, while Montgomery County permits increased from 13 to 52 for that month. Some gun shops also reported an increase in sales after Sept. 11 that tapered off soon afterward. "This is normally a busy time of year for us anyway," said Paul Hylton, manager at Bryansteens Gun and Archery in Roanoke. "But we did see a little bit of an influx in sales after Sept. 11." Things also have returned to normal at Buck Mountain Outfitters, said store owner Brian Reger. "You could tell a lot of people were first-time gun buyers," he said of the people who shopped for weapons in his store shortly after Sept. 11. "We had a lot of people coming in here that needed basic instruction, that had no idea what a firearm was even about." Van Patten, the Radford professor, said concealed weapon ownership would not help combat terrorism, particularly because the trend is toward large-scale destruction. Such acts as joining the military would have the greater potential effect, but he understands the thinking that accompanies the rush for concealed weapon permits. The element of surprise, sprung on a civilian target, makes people feel that they are not in control. Getting a weapon is an act meant to let one take control, he said. "What you get down to is your local individual experiences a sensation of dread and terror, followed by a strong need to do something," he said. "One segment of the population will go out and arm themselves." That's not necessarily a problem, as long as new gun owners receive good training and follow proper safety measures, he said. "You do not eliminate any of the ordinary problems of gun ownership." http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story123040.html