A man in grey shirt putting together boxes of cookies.

EZCHL & Eagle Defense Featured in Star Telegram Covid-19 Story

 

Run on guns, ammo sparked by ‘growing panic’ surrounding coronavirus outbreak in Texas

Curtis Van Liew, owner of Eagle Defense Solutions, says since March 13 he ammo has been difficult to come by due to coronavirus fear. He runs a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC) class that rents ammo and handguns to students.

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First it was toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

Now, as the coronavirus continues to spread, Texans are making a run on ammunition and guns, leaving some store shelves bare.

“It’s a growing panic,” said Kenny Frazier, owner of theCrazy Gun Dealerin Alvarado. “As people find box stores out and small dealers out, the fear seems to be growing.

“We stock deep so we are fine, but are limiting ammo to go with matching gun purchase only,” he said. “I think this is (a) short term scare but (it) really will depend on if (the) virus truly gets really worse or dies down quickly.”

Some people are stocking up out of fear that supplies will dwindle as more COVID-19 cases are identified. Others are first time gun owners who want to make sure they have a sizeable stockpile.

Political fears also play into sales, gun owners say, as some fear that officials – particularly if a Democrat is elected to the White House later this year – will try to limit or restrict access to firearms.

Curtis Van Liew, an instructor and owner of Eagle Defensive Solutions, has been among those searching for ammunition.

“We have students who rent guns and ammo from us,” he said. “I have to be able to provide it to them.”

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Curtis Van Liew, owner of Eagle Defense Solutions, stacks boxes of 9mm ammo that he purchased as backup for his Texas License to Carry class. Van Liew said coronavirus fear is causing ammo to be difficult to find. He had to go to four different stores over the weekend to stock up on ammo. Amanda McCoy[email protected]

In one class, Van Liew said, a group of 10 people generally will use 200 rounds of ammunition each.

He has been able to buy ammunition recently, but he found several stores that were sold out.

“Toilet paper, hand sanitizer and ammo – they are all gone,” he said.

STRONG SALES

Jesse Molina, manager at Purple Heart Pawn and Guns, said gun sales are strong.

But he said they generally are right now, when people get tax refunds. That’s when they usually come back and pick up items they previously pawned.

“This time of year, it’s hard to say whether (sales are strong) because of coronavirus or because they got their tax refund,” he said.

But Terry Holcomb, a pastor and executive director of Texas Carry, said he’s seen and heard about the panic – and the panic shopping for guns and ammunition.

“There’s a lot of fear going around right now,” he said. “Typically it’s people who aren’t prepared. We saw the same thing with food and toilet paper. People are just reacting. The stores are empty now.”

Holcomb urged gun owners to remain calm.

“A lot is general fear of the unknown,” he said. “No supply lines are disrupted. This isn’t like a hurricane. They’re going to keep stocking.

“Everyone needs to calm down, be a community, work together to get through this and help your neighbor.”

Brady United Against Gun Violenceofficials say they are concerned about the uptick in gun and ammunition sales.

“People aren’t just stocking up on handguns or hunting rifles – they’re buying deadly AR-15-style assault weapons,” according to a fundraising email the group sent this week. “But extensive research shows MORE guns don’t make us safer. This is especially true during a time of anxiety around COVID-19.

“New and inexperienced gun owners, unsafe storage, and hysteria – all while being confined to the home – are a disturbing mix that can lead to a rise in gun-related injuries and deaths,” the email stated.

The Brady group is urging passage of “lifesaving gun safety legislation” and working to raise $30,000 “to fund our COVID-19 response and mitigate gun violence during this crisis.”

POLITICS

Sales of gun and ammunition have gone up in recent election years, particularly in 2008, before and after Democrat Barack Obama was elected president.

Sales alsospiked in 2012, when Obama was re-elected, and in 2016, when Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump were running for the White House.

“People are afraid Democrats are going to get back in control as president,” Van Liew said, adding that ammunition and guns likely won’t be fully stocked until after the November general election.

So he recommends that Texans start looking early if they need ammunition or guns. And he recommends people buy it when they find it.

But they don’t need to have “a panic response” and stockpile far more than they’ll need.

For now, he said, “supply and demand isn’t keeping up.”

“Coronavirus opened a lot of people’s eyes,” he said. “If this can happen, what else could happen?”

 

Original Story From: Fort Worth Star Telegram

__________________________________________________________

The License To Carry formerly known as a Concealed Handgun License is commonly referred to as a gun permit, concealed carry license, CCW, concealed carry, handgun license, handgun permit was changed to License To Carry on January 1,2016.

There are many myths out there about handguns and the LICENSE TO CARRY, our job is tell you what the laws and facts are and put any myths to rest during class, so you know the truth. We believe in paying special attention to handgun safety and Situational Awareness, to help teach students how to avoid situations.

Be sure to visit ourclass schedulepage to sign up for our next license to carry class.

For questions please feel free tocontact usat 817-247-2990.

A building with a large circular window on the front of it.

Texas A&M Commerce Shooting Leaves 2 Dead


Texas A&M University-Commerce announced Monday evening classes would be cancelled through Wednesday following the deadly shooting of two women at a residence hall on the southwest corner of the campus around 10:00 a.m.

A 2-year-old child was also injured in the shooting but was later treated and released to family.

“The health and safety of our students is always our top priority at A&M-Commerce. Therefore, all classes, programs and events on our campus will be cancelled on Monday, February 3rd; Tuesday, February 4th; and Wednesday, February 5th. This includes all remote locations and online,” the University said in a statement.

On Tuesday, the university identified the two women as sisters Deja, 19, and Abbaney Matts, 20. Deja was a student at the school while Abbaney was not.

Officials also said the child belonged to Abbaney.

In a statement, officials said the shooting appeared to be a “targeted, isolated” incident between the two sisters.

Police said there was no immediate threat to other students after a shelter in place was lifted about two hours after the shooting was reported.

The Texas A&M University-Commerce Police Chief Bryan Vaughn read a statement on Monday but would not answer questions.

“The health and safety of our students is always our top priority at this time for university has lifted the precautionary shelter in place recommendation due to the ongoing investigation. Pride Rock Residence Hall and the surrounding areas of our campus are still blocked off,” said Chief Vaughn.

The dorm where the shooting happened is called Pride Rock, which is usually reserved for freshmen.

The Texas A&M System tweeted a statement about the shooting, saying, “Texas A&M System & Chancellor (John) Sharp share their condolences to those affected by the tragedy that happened today at@tamucin Commerce, TX. We thank the A&M-Commerce leadership & authorities for their timely communication and resources offered for their community to heal.”

CBS 11 talked to some students who didn’t see or hear the shooting, but received that alert on their phones about police activity.

They later returned to find their dorms taped off and have not been able to get back inside.

“It felt chilling like, this is not supposed to happen here,” said student Esme Galvan who said she saw police outside Pride Rock as the alerts appeared on her phone.

“Shelter in place. Shelter in place. Shelter in place,” she said.

Students explained, it takes a key card to get inside the building and on the elevator and then into a room.

Despite that, some said it’s hard to feel safe now.

Several students have talked about how difficult this is in light of adeadly shooting about three months ago at an off campus party in Greenville that hundreds of people, mostly students attended.Two people died and a dozen others were injured and that is all still very fresh in their minds.

“You didn’t have to be there to be traumatized,” said student Jordan Polk. “You could have seen the videos or knew somebody and they told you about it. (Andrea Lucia asks) So you feel traumatized by what happened in Greenville? (Polk answers) Definitely. Definitely. And then having this happens right here? It’s a lot going on.”

Counselors were available in Rayburn Student Center conference rooms on campus for those in need of help coping with the situation.

Texas A&M University-Commerce is about 60 miles northeast of Dallas.

Original Story From: CBS 11

__________________________________________________________

The License To Carry formerly known as a Concealed Handgun License is commonly referred to as a gun permit, concealed carry license, CCW, concealed carry, handgun license, handgun permit was changed to License To Carry on January 1,2016.

There are many myths out there about handguns and the LICENSE TO CARRY, our job is tell you what the laws and facts are and put any myths to rest during class, so you know the truth. We believe in paying special attention to handgun safety and Situational Awareness, to help teach students how to avoid situations.

Be sure to visit ourclass schedulepage to sign up for our next license to carry class.

For questions please feel free tocontact usat 817-247-2990.

A man wearing jeans and red shirt with a holster in his belt.

Texas LTC Parishioner Kills Church Gunman


A man shot and killed two people during a church service in White Settlement, Texas, on Sunday morning before two members of thechurch security teamshot and killed him, authorities said.

City Police Chief J.P. Bevering said the shooter entered West Freeway Church of Christ and sat down in the sanctuary, then stood, pulled out a shotgun and shot two parishioners.
“There was a security team inside the church and they eliminated the threat,” Bevering said.
Matthew DeSarno, the FBI agent in charge of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, didn’t identify the shooter, but said he was “relatively transient with roots to this area” and had been arrested multiple times in different municipalities.
The shooter was not on any sort of “watch list,” DeSarno said, but investigators will try to determine whether he was driven by any sort of ideology. Authorities said the motive is unknown, and nobody knows yet whether the shooter targeted the victims.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the incident was over within six seconds thanks to the quick response of the security team members. Recent changes in Texas law allow licensed gun owners to carry firearms into houses of worship.
“Two of the parishioners who are volunteers on the security force drew their weapons and took out the killer immediately, saving untold number of lives,” he said.
The shooter and one of the victims died on the way to the hospital, said Macara Trusty, spokesperson for Medstar Mobile Healthcare. The second victim flatlined, was revived and later died, authorities said.
Authorities have not identified the shooter or victims yet.
A video livestream from the church, seen by CNN, appears to show how the shooting unfolded. The entire incident, from the time the shooter pulled out his gun until he was shot, took six seconds.
Lisa Farmer, the wife of the West Freeway Church of Christ Minister Britt Farmer, was not inside the church at the time of the shooting but said the video shows the inside of the church building.
The video, obtained by CNN affiliate KTVT, shows the shooter seated in a pew toward the rear of the church during the service. The shooter, dressed in dark clothes, approaches someone in the back corner and appears to talk to them. That individual gestures toward the center of the church.
The shooter pulled out a long gun and opened fire on the man before shooting a second man.
It appears that a man, toward the left of the screen, draws a handgun and fires. The shooter falls to the ground immediately. Three muzzle flashes are seen on the video.
The YouTube video has since been made private.
The two people who returned fire against the shooter were members of the church and part of the church’s security team, but were not hired by the church, Regional Director of Texas Department of Public Safety Jeoff Williams told reporters Sunday night.
“The citizens who were inside that church undoubtedly saved 242 other parishioners,” Williams said.
Texasrecently changed its firearms lawsin response to the 2017 Sutherland Springs church shooting that left 26 people dead.
Lt. Gov. Patrick said the state now allows licensed handgun owners to legally carry weapons into places of worship. Another law allows churches to develop, train and plan for their own teams to provide security

 

Original Story From: CNN

__________________________________________________________

The License To Carry formerly known as a Concealed Handgun License is commonly referred to as a gun permit, concealed carry license, CCW, concealed carry, handgun license, handgun permit was changed to License To Carry on January 1,2016.

There are many myths out there about handguns and the LICENSE TO CARRY, our job is tell you what the laws and facts are and put any myths to rest during class, so you know the truth. We believe in paying special attention to handgun safety and Situational Awareness, to help teach students how to avoid situations.

Be sure to visit ourclass schedulepage to sign up for our next license to carry class.

For questions please feel free tocontact usat 817-247-2990.

A group of bullets and yellow tape with crime scene tape.

Man Shot at Deep Ellum Dart Station


A man was shot dead at a DART light rail station early Monday.

The fatal shooting happened overnight, about 12:20 a.m., at the Deep Ellum Station off North Good Latimer.

Dallas police say there was some kind of argument on the train involving several people and things ended up spilling outside once the train stopped. At that point, police say someone pulled out a handgun and shot a man in the head multiple times.

Officers found the victim dead, lying on the station’s platform when they arrived on scene.

Police are looking for the group of people involved in the argument that led to the shooting.

Dallas police and DART police are investigating the shooting. There are surveillance cameras at the station platform, which could prove helpful.

The victim’s name has not been released, but police said he is between 18 and 21.

Original Story From: Fox 4 News

__________________________________________________________

The License To Carry formerly known as a Concealed Handgun License is commonly referred to as a gun permit, concealed carry license, CCW, concealed carry, handgun license, handgun permit was changed to License To Carry on January 1,2016.

There are many myths out there about handguns and the LICENSE TO CARRY, our job is tell you what the laws and facts are and put any myths to rest during class, so you know the truth. We believe in paying special attention to handgun safety and Situational Awareness, to help teach students how to avoid situations.

Be sure to visit ourclass schedulepage to sign up for our next license to carry class.

For questions please feel free tocontact usat 817-247-2990.

A man holding his gun in his pocket.

1.4 Million More Concealed Carry Permits Than 2018


New Concealed Carry Report For 2019: 18.66 Million Permit Holders Despite 16 Constitutional Carry States, Over 1.4 Million More Than Last Year

The number of concealed handgun permits has increased for the third year in a row. The figure now stands at over18.66 million– a 304% increase since 2007.It’s also an 8% increase over the number of permits we counted a year ago in 2018. Unlike gun ownership surveys that may be affected by people’s unwillingness to answer personal questions, concealed handgun permit data is the only really “hard data” that we have. Sixteen states are missing from the data because people there don’t even need a permit to carry.

Among the findings of the report:

  • Last year, the number of permit holders continued to grow by about 1.4 million.Despite expectations that increases in permits were primarily driven by fears of Democratic presidencies, the growth has continued at a similar pace after the November 2016 election.
  • 7.3% of American adults have permits.Outside of the restrictive states of California and NewYork, about 8.75% of the adult population has a permit.
  • In thirteen states, more than 10% of adults have permits, down from just fifteen last year.Arkansas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia fell below 10%, but they are now all Constitutional Carry states, meaning that people no longer need a permit to carry. South Carolina’s concealed carry rate has now risen to above 10%.
  • Alabama has the highest concealed carry rate – 26.3%.Indiana is second with 17.9%, and South Dakota – another Constitutional Carry state – saw its percentage decline to 16.02%.
  • Four states now have over 1 million permit holders: Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Texas.Florida is the first state to have over 2 million permits.
  • Sixteen states have adopted constitutional carry, meaning that a permit is no longer required. Because of these constitutional carry states, the nationwide growth in permits does not paint a full picture of the overall increase in concealed carry. But some residents still choose to obtain permits so that they can carry in other states that have reciprocity agreements.
  • In 2019, women made up 26.5% of permit holders in the 12 states that provide data by gender.Eight states had data from 2012 to 2019, and permit numbers grew 101% faster for women than for men.
  • Three states that have detailed race and gender data for at least a decade show remarkably larger increases in permits for minorities compared to whites. In Texas, black females saw a 3.6 times greater percentage increase in permits than white males. North Carolina had black permits increase twice as fast as whites. In Oklahoma, the increase for American Indians was twice the rate for whites and for blacks it was 66% greater than for whites.
  • From 2012 to 2018, in the four states that provide data by race over that time period, the number of black people with permits increased almost 20% faster than the number of whites with permits.Asians appear to be the group that has experienced the largest increase in permitted concealed carry, growing 29% faster than whites.
  • Concealed handgun permit holders are extremely law-abiding.In Florida and Texas, permit holders are convicted of misdemeanors and felonies at one-sixth of the rate at which police officers are convicted.

Original Story From: Crime Prevention Research Center

__________________________________________________________

The License To Carry formerly known as a Concealed Handgun License is commonly referred to as a gun permit, concealed carry license, CCW, concealed carry, handgun license, handgun permit was changed to License To Carry on January 1,2016.

There are many myths out there about handguns and the LICENSE TO CARRY, our job is tell you what the laws and facts are and put any myths to rest during class, so you know the truth. We believe in paying special attention to handgun safety and Situational Awareness, to help teach students how to avoid situations.

Be sure to visit ourclass schedulepage to sign up for our next license to carry class.

For questions please feel free tocontact usat 817-247-2990.