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Jeffco concealed-gun applications soar

Gun instructors, sellers cite politics, rash of shootings

By Myung Oak Kim, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 13, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Rich Wyatt, of Gunsmoke Gunsmithing Inc. in Wheat Ridge, teaches classes on how to properly use and maintain firearms. He says enrollment is up 40 percent compared with last year.

Photo by Chris Schneider / The Rocky

Rich Wyatt, of Gunsmoke Gunsmithing Inc. in Wheat Ridge, teaches classes on how to properly use and maintain firearms. He says enrollment is up 40 percent compared with last year.

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Jefferson County is seeing a startling rise in applications for concealed gun permits.

Between March 1 and 11, the Jeffco sheriff's office received 246 applications from residents who want to carry firearms. That's five times the number of applications submitted for the entire month of March 2007, according to the sheriff's office.

Since Jan. 1, the sheriff's office has received more than 500 concealed-carry applications, almost as many as all of 2006. Statewide, applications have risen nearly 50 percent between 2006 and 2007.

Tiffany Morgan, a college student and part-time employee at the Green Mountain Family Shooting Center in Lakewood, applied for a concealed-carry permit in Jeffco in late February.

The 29-year-old Lakewood resident said she's owned a Ruger .357 since September, but decided to apply for the permit so she can travel with her handgun to Wyoming to see her parents and to night classes.

"If I go to stop at a gas station or if I have to stop at the bathroom, you never know what can happen on a road trip," she said. "I'd rather have it than not have it."

Local gun dealers and firearms instructors also have seen a spike in sales and class enrollment in the last few months. They say people are taking up arms because of a recent rash of shootings and gun-related incidents - specifically in Jeffco - and their expectation that if Democrats win more elected offices, they'll restrict gun owners' rights.

"As of late, in Jefferson County alone, we have had a ton of situations where people have felt threatened," said Rich Wyatt, manager of Gunsmoke gun shop in Wheat Ridge, a firearms instructor and former police chief. He cited recent fatal shootings at an Arvada youth mission, an Arvada Burger King, and standoffs with barricaded armed men.

Wyatt said he runs the largest firearms training facility in the state and therefore directs a lot of applicants for concealed-carry permits to Jefferson County. He said Jeffco's high numbers also are due to a new state law that took effect last summer requiring gun owners with out-of-state carrying permits to obtain Colorado papers.

Until that new law took effect, Wyatt said he had urged local gun owners to get permits from Florida, which were easier and cheaper to obtain and legal here.

He said class enrollment is up about 40 percent compared with this time last year. Gun sales also are higher, he said.

Sportsman's Warehouse in Littleton, another large Jeffco gun dealer, also is seeing a rise in gun sales, said salesman Lee Wilson.

"I think it's largely due to the political change that's coming," Wilson said. "Most people are afraid of both Hillary and Obama. That's a big deal."

Janet Poole said she's seen that gun shops are very busy lately.

The 56-year-old social worker from unincorporated Denver bought a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver Monday from a Lakewood consignment shop. She said the store was packed with gun buyers and she had to come back to the store numerous times to finish the police background check.

Poole said a clerk tried to get online for almost 30 minutes to do the check and then found out that there were 38 other gun buyers ahead of her in Colorado.

Poole said she wants the gun to protect herself because she's single and lives alone on the first floor of a condo complex.

"Within a 10-day period of time, three people told me I should get a gun," she said. "Hopefully I'll never need it."

kimm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2361

Comments

  • March 13, 2008

    5:52 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    roger44 writes:

    We have to protect ourselves, no one else can. They can make all the laws they want, criminals don't follow the rules. Put a box on Colorado tax return for building more prisons, I'll donate. Early releases up, Government lets them out to do more crime.

  • March 13, 2008

    6:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    BikerChick writes:

    ..
    The tradition spelled out (albeit abstractly) in the U S Constitution, Article 2, is part of the checks-and-balances that establishes, maintains and protects personal freedom.

    In addition to reminding potentially errant governments, the benefit of citizenry owning, maintaining and learning the proper & safe use of firearms is to protect self and family.

    Rick Wyatt, pictured in this piece, is a stand-up leader in the Colorado movement toward optimum safety and excellent training in the proper use of firearms.

    Scientific studies demonstrate that criminals love "gun free zones," where they can reek havoc in relative safety.

    As more and more businesses and public institutions realize that well-trained, well-armed private citizens serve to PREVENT criminal activities, the first line of defense will prevail.

    Think about it - would you expect a criminal to sit through weapons safety classes and submit to fingerprinting and a mug shot to obtain a concealed weapons permit ?

    Guns are useful to PREVENT personal harm, protect your family and deter public assaults on innocent people. Do you think that Matthew Murray expected to be stopped by a gentle lady, Jeanne Assam, in the second church assault ?

    This is a no-brainer. Thank God for a well-trained, well-armed citizenry.
    ..

  • March 13, 2008

    7:41 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Classof80 writes:

    I'm sure some anti-gun nut will type something in here how guns kill people, there right they do !! But its the armed and properly training that can divert a crime and aid local law enforcement. Everyone has a right to carry concealed and I hope to see more folks using that right!!

  • March 13, 2008

    7:51 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Wolfgang writes:

    From the article - ("I think it's largely due to the political change that's coming," Wilson said. "Most people are afraid of both Hillary and Obama. That's a big deal.")

    McCain is no friend of gun owners either. No matter who wins in November, I think we can expect further restrictions on gun rights during the next administration.

  • March 13, 2008

    8:38 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Flash_Gordon writes:

    Myung Oak Kim begins her article by stating that there has been a "startling" surge in permit applications in Jefferson County. They only people who should be "startled" by this are criminals. It will make their victim selection process a bit more difficult, and make their chosen profession a bit more dangerous.

  • March 13, 2008

    8:42 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Flash_Gordon writes:

    Apparently Rich Wyatt told the reporter that it is easier and cheaper to obtain a permit in Florida than it is in Colorado. That is not true. It takes longer in Florida, costs at least as much, involves the same photo, fingerprinting, firearm training and criminal background check. Since it takes about 90 days compared to 60 days in Colorado, it is actually a bit more difficult than Colorado.

  • March 13, 2008

    9:18 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    sylas writes:

    I'm just torqued that this means a longer wait for me as I applied on January 31st. In Colorado they have 90 days to process your application.

    Sheriff Ted Mink in Jeffco has chosen to add the information of law abiding citizens to the Colorado Crime Information Center database which is an "index of wanted and missing persons and property, to identify: people and property involved in crime; members of criminal gangs; stolen property; criminal suspects; criminal methods of operation; reported crime; reported arrests; and to share crime bulletins about major crimes in other states from which suspects may flee to Colorado."

    The mood is changing. I have recently sold several of my older firearms and I noticed they were all purchased around 1995 soon after the "Brady Law" went into effect. Recently I have acquired several new firearms because the climate feels the same.

    I choose to equip most of my pistols and revolvers with laser targeting devices in the hope that the green or red dot is enough to discourage a would-be perpetrator and actually save their life. I don't want to shoot someone. More importantly I do not want someone to shoot me or my family.

  • March 13, 2008

    9:26 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    wow writes:

    Training is definetly the most important part of responsible gun ownership. Training makes the difference between a confident gun owner who thinks, and a frightened gun owner who will fire at anything that moves. The more trained gun owners, the better.

  • March 13, 2008

    9:37 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jed writes:

    Quite interesting. The article gets republished with minor changes, and it appears as a different article, losing yesterday's comments.

    Ditto on why "startling"? Again, it's editorializing.

  • March 13, 2008

    9:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Indignant writes:

    Hooray! More people are finally recognizing that when seconds count, the police are minutes away. We, the people, don't have the means to hire guards with firearms to protect us like the rich, the famous, and the politicians do so we must fend for ourselves. Our backgrounds are checked before we can buy a firearm. We take training before we can carry concealed. We are responsible law-abiding adults who dare rise up on our hind legs to do what we can to defend our lives and the lives of our loved ones against the depredations of the two-legged predators in our midst. Hooray for us!

  • March 13, 2008

    10:11 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jed writes:

    RickyLee, I've had the discussion about the Rocky's editorial position before, - http://freedomsight.net/?p=292 - with Linda Seebach. But I'd like to hear John Temple weigh in.

    In fairness, in Ms. Kim's prior column - http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news... - (same column, just reworked?) she cites El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa speaking favorably towards increased concealed carry.

  • March 13, 2008

    1:54 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    happymike44 writes:

    I am a hearing disabled person.I have a handgun for the express purpose of defending my life.I did not own one before I was mugged.After that night I own one at home.The night I got mugged the guy had a knife and my service dog knocked him down and dragged me to safety.The guy followed me home,and has not been caught.My dog was a service dog trained to assist me in crowded public situations.He will not do anything till I signal for protection.The officrs who took the report were great and said if he had not been there I would not be here today.After that I got a small pistol for home protection.To all those people who are against guns,I was to till I got mugged and assaulted.That person knows where I live and has not come back.That is also no promise he will not come back another day.So better safe then sorry,also my family never enters my home untill I have personally opened the door.Also I have had some people come to my home and having a gun is peace of mind for me.Owning a gun is just in case I need the extra help.What do you think?

  • March 13, 2008

    3:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    hoosierddy writes:

    Is it legal to carry in Denver if you have a permit?

  • March 13, 2008

    5:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    hoosierddy writes:

    Thanks. That's good to know, and "makes my day".

  • March 13, 2008

    6:04 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    MeAgainstMachine writes:

    ToeNee - giving away your position with a laser sight? Who cares if you're giving away your position. You've already got your Second Amendment one step ahead of the moron trying to violate you to some degree. Breathe. Point. Squeeze. If you're good, go with a triple tap. Two in the chest and one in the head for good measure. I believe that if more home intruders were shot dead the minute they completely entered a home, burglaries and home invasion statistics would plummet. People steal, rob, burglarize and murder because they don't fear anything. I say we take a stand and start installing the fear of God, or atleast Smith & Wesson, into these people that are taking away or freedom, security and right to live in peace.