By Laura Forbes
Monday, March 31, 2008 at 9:34 p.m.
Read more: Local
Its been nearly a year since a gunman opened fire at Virginia Tech, Killing 32 people. The incident sparked a student movement to allow concealed weapons on campus. Now some UCCS students are joining that movement.
State law allows those with concealed carry permits to bring guns on college campuses. However, the interpretation of the law has been that colleges can ban or allow weapons.
Colorado State University in Fort Collins honors concealed carry permits, but the Regents to the University of Colorado do not allow weapons on any of its campuses.
The university has added new security measures since the Virginia Tech shootings, including a text message alert system. But some students say, while that might keep students from coming onto campus, or get buildings under lockdown, that doesn't help those who are already under attack. So far, about a dozen UCCS students have joined a group that wants to carry concealed weapons on campus.
Bobby German carries his gun with him everywhere he goes. "If I'm going down to the store to buy some milk I have it with me," he said.
Everywhere that is-- except his college campus, where weapons aren't allowed. "I think its a dangerous and a bad policy all together," he said.
He and John Davis founded the UCCS chapter of "Students for Concealed Carry on Campus," which formed after the Virginia Tech shootings, and now boasts more than 23 thousand members. They say, banning guns makes students, like those at Virginia Tech, vulnerable.
"If one person in one of those classrooms was able to defend themselves its possible there would have been fewer casualties," said Davis.
"You don't see people shooting up a firing range or a police station," said German.
"No matter how hard you try someone is going to see that concealed weapon," said UCCS Police Chief Jim Spice. He says the sight of a gun can interfere with learning.
"They no longer feel free to express whatever thought, whatever topic they happen to be debating at the time," he said.
And he says, the minimum training isn't enough to handle that kind of situation.
"Eight hours doesn't seem enough practice to be proficient that you could miss and strike an innocent student," he said.
Spice isn't their only opposition. Someone has been tearing down the group's flyers almost as soon as they go up. But Davis and German vow to fight on.
From April 21 through 25, they'll wearing empty holsters around campus, as part of the group's nationwide protest.
