FL: Senator Greg Steube, Says Airport Attack Shows Problem with Gun Free Zones

Greg Steube has been attempting to eliminate the gun free zone at the unsecured parts of Florida Airports for years. He says the attack at the Fort Lauderdale Airport shows that his approach has been vindicated. From tallahassee.com:

The chair of the Florida Senate Judiciary Committee said Friday’s shooting and killings at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport make the case for his efforts to eliminate gun-free zones.

Sen Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, is the sponsor of SB 140 which would eliminate most gun-free zones in Florida. The proposal allows concealed weapons permit holders to openly carry handguns in most public places, including airport passenger terminals.

“My first thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims,” Steube said Friday night. “But this goes back to the fact why I’ve been working against gun free zones for the past three years.”

Florida has a healthy number of people with concealed carry permits, about 1.7 million in a population of  16.4 million adults, or a bit over 10% of adults. About 13% of the Florida permits are for non-residents.  Using those numbers, 9% of Florida adults have concealed carry permits. 

That doesn’t mean that everyone who has a permit carries all the time, of course.  But many do. We do not know how many people with concealed carry permits were in the baggage claim area when the attack occurred.

I have often loaded and holstered in the baggage area of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in Arizona.  When I visited Tampa, Florida last year, I did not do so for two reasons. It was against the law to carry a functional firearm at the airport, and open carry was against the law. Florida’s often hot and humid weather makes concealed carry more challenging.

Senator Steube’s bill addresses both problems.

If Senator Steube passes his gun law reform bill, people with carry permit will be able to carry in the unsecured areas of airports, and they will be able to carry openly.

It appears the attack in the Lauderdale airport continued for many seconds, perhaps minutes.  The attacker is reported to have reloaded at least twice. 

There was time and opportunity for an armed individual to have successfully intervened.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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