Not everyone in Jacksonville is that stupid.
LAW & DISORDER: Worker shoots armed robberBy The Times-Union
A man working on a Brentwood home shot an armed man who tried to rob him Monday, Jacksonville police said.
The shooting occurred about 1:15 p.m. at 333 W. 24th St. near North Pearl Street. Police said a man armed with a gun attempted to rob Klay Bickell, 50, as Bickell was repairing a rental home.
Bickell, who was also armed, opened fire. The wounded robber fled south on Pearl Street and collapsed outside a music store at West 23rd Street, a witness said.
The wounded man, later identified by police as Cedric Battle, 29, was taken to Shands Jacksonville hospital and listed in critical condition, police Sgt. Derrick Lewis said. Bickell, who was not injured, was questioned by police and released without being charged.
Police recovered both guns, Lewis said.
Lewis said he was told Bickell carried a gun because of his concerns about crime in the area, where shootings and drug deals are common.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/080508/met_313550736.shtmlIn the same issue of the paper:
Protection has more people packing heatDuval County (all of Duval County is in Jacksonville) ranks fifth in the state for applications for concealed-carry permits.
By MATT COLEMAN, The Times-Union
In most classes, the teacher doesn't point a gun.
But none of the almost 40 people in a bunker-like back room of the Jacksonville Expo Center at the Fairgrounds even raised an eyebrow when Charlie Berrane calmly aimed and sighted a revolver.
The firearms instructor worked his way methodically through safety tips as he explained the correct way to hold the pistol and squeeze the trigger.
"Do you know the story about the man who brought a knife to a gun fight?" Berrane said. "I want you to win your fights."
Almost 100 people turned out July 19 for two concealed-carry classes at the Jacksonville Gun Show. Hundreds more milled through rows of bullet-blasting goods in the main vendor's area.
Despite a nationwide economic decline, gun store and range workers say First Coast residents aren't cutting back on self-protection.
Jackie Miller, owner of Bullseye Gun and Pawn, said she has seen increased traffic from gun novices whose interests were piqued by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that interpreted the Second Amendment and legitimized private gun ownership.
Protection, not recreation
She said most people aren't looking for guns for recreational sport shooting - they want to safeguard themselves from crime. She has tracked a steady 20 percent increase in sales, and all of her concealed-carry classes are full well before registration ends.
Brenda Trickler, business manager at Gateway Rifle and Pistol Club, said her outdoor range is packed every weekend. She said the range has become popular with gun enthusiasts interested more in safety than target practice.
"It's a lot about what people see on the news," Trickler said. "Some people think you can't walk to your car by yourself anymore, and they want protection."
Statistics from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Licensing also show a consistent upward trend in the number of Duval County concealed-carry applications during the past five years. In 2004, Duval County submitted 1,385 applications - sixth highest in the state. In 2008, that number jumped to 4,230, supplanting Hillsborough County as fifth-highest statewide.
Miller said this increased interest is changing the face of her clientele. What used to be a male-dominated culture has increasingly become more coed. Women hold 16 percent of the concealed-carry licenses in Florida, according to the Division of Licensing. But Miller said she thinks the number of women in an average class is more than twice that.
"It's not as man-centric as it used to be," Miller said.
Education for all ages
The faces in Berrane's class reflected the same trend. There was an even distribution of male and female, young and old, experienced and inexperienced. And that's how he likes it.
"These classes are about being prepared, and everyone needs to know that," Berrane said. "Police can't be at your doorstep if there is an emergency, so you might be forced to protect yourself."
A woman standing next to him in a black T-shirt with bold block writing on the back silently reiterates his point:
"I carry a gun cause a police officer is too heavy."