Honolulu City Council debates ban on guns in ‘sensitive places’
By Kristen Consillio
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HAWAII (KITV) — More than 600 people on island are still waiting for permits to be able to carry concealed weapons — as government officials scramble to pass new laws to prohibit firearms in sensitive places, such as schools, parks and public transportation.
“There’s a lot of uphill battle going on with all of this,” said firearms trainer Clifford Goo who runs Safety and Firearms Education. “It’s just so much restrictions, it’s almost like why even bother?”
The City Council convened a special session today to get more input from the public on where concealed carry guns should be banned on Oahu.
“Personally I feel that having just more guns in the community presents a risk for accidents,” said Rachel Logan, who is part of Moms Demand Action. “It’s my personal fear that the accidents are going to outweigh the heroics. It’s a very big ask to put trust in a stranger that wants to be your silent protector and guns don’t make everyone feel safe.”
Andrew Namiki Roberts, director of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition, is the first person in Honolulu certified just yesterday to teach a concealed handgun class required for people wanting to get a license on Oahu.
“If I’m a criminal, I can just carry a gun and I don’t need any licensing and that’s the people that are a problem,” he said. “Law-abiding citizens like myself and people that I’m going to be training are not the issue here. It’s the criminals and we’re not doing enough to punish them.”
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi also testified before the council today that the proposed rules are critical to keep the public safe with gun violence rampant on the mainland.
In June, a U.S. Supreme Court decision opened the way for more people to carry firearms outside the home, invalidating Hawaii law requiring those wanting to carry guns to demonstrate a special need to do so.
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