Vernon County Sheriff's Office to hold concealed carry weapons classes

On Oct. 16, 1991, a pick-up truck drove through the front window of a Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas, and a man stepped out of the vehicle and began shooting people at point blank range.

The restaurant had approximately 140 people in it that day and one of its customers, a lady by the name of Suzanna Grata Hupp, was having lunch with her parents. George Hennard, the shooter, managed to kill 23 and wound 27 before he exchanged gunfire with the police and then shot himself. Two of the people he killed were Suzanna's parents. Suzanna had placed her firearm in the glove box of her car because it was illegal for a firearm to be carried in the restaurant at the time. The only problem was that the gunman did not care.

In Suzanna's book, "From Luby's To The Legislature," she describes seeing the shooter and said that she feels she may have been able to stop him if she had been armed. People have a tendency to feel "unsafe" at the thought of other people being allowed to carry guns in public. But if you were the one in a building and the only one with a gun was the shooter intent on killing everyone, how "unsafe" would you feel then? If someone was nearby with a firearm would you want them to help?

There are a lot of what if's that could be talked about when people are allowed to carry firearms in public, but the first thing that must be considered is the basic principal of living in a free country. We live in a country where people should have the right to protect themselves, their families, and their homes.

The Vernon County Sheriff's Office will begin hosting Concealed Carry Weapons classes throughout the summer to help educate people and give them the training and skills necessary to use their right to protect themselves. By the time a CCW permit is obtained, the person has had training in Missouri law, firearms safety, and demonstrated that they can safely control and operate a firearm. A finger print investigation is completed by the Sheriff's Office using the Highway Patrol and the FBI criminal history data bases.

We never expect to be in a place where the unthinkable happens, but as I have always said people should prepare for the worst and expect the best. For more information about taking the CCW classes from the Sheriff's Office or another instructor within the county contact Dianna at the Sheriff's Office at 417-283-4400.