The percentage of women who own a
gun is at a new high. Statistics show
43% of women are packing heat. And a
class was held in South Bend
Saturday morning to make sure women know how to use those guns.
Julia Johnson is learning how to use
a gun because she doesn't always feel safe at home. "My husband
works overseas and so I'm home alone sometimes and I want to feel like I can
sleep at night," said Johnson. And
it's not just herself she's worried about protecting. "I have a five
year old at home," said Johnson.
But her son is also the reason she
was scared to have a gun. Johnson said, "I'm a little bit nervous about having a
gun in a house with a small child…I think a lot of gun accidents happen in the
home." That fear is exactly
what Police want to erase so The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 36 in South
Bend held a class Saturday to teach, "how they
work, how you load it, how you unload it, how you shoot it," said Sgt. Tom
Cameron with the South Bend Police Department
"By that 2nd or 3rd
shot they understand this is not that bad of a thing this is something I can
control it's something I can do," said Cameron.
Johnson said that knowledge puts her
at ease, "I feel like oh ok now I know how this
works. It's not gonna accidentally go
off. I'm not gonna accidentally hurt
myself or somebody else."
The class does more than calm nerves
when it comes to handling a weapon. It
also helps women figure out what type of gun they'd like to buy. "By the time
they're done here they've handled 20 to 30 different guns and have an idea of
what they're really looking for," said Cameron.
Johnson learned so much that she's
no longer afraid and she's ready for a gun now.
"I think it'll just boost the
confidence. I don't think I'll ever use
it. I'll probably never take it out of
the gun safe but I'll know I have it there if I need it," said Johnson.
