Atlanta's gun free zones are not free of guns

Georgia has one of the toughest laws in the country when it comes to banning guns from school property. The law creates what it calls the "school safety zone," an area of 1,000 feet surrounding any school, including universities and adult technical schools, where it is a felony punishable by ten years in prison to possess a firearm or other weapon. So why do armed and violent criminals keep striking near Georgia schools?

In just the last couple of weeks, Atlanta's prominent engineering university, Georgia Tech, has experienced five robberies of its students, who are disarmed by law within 1,000 feet of campus.

In the first four incidents, Georgia's draconian "school safety zone" law did not deter the robbers from using firearms to commit their crimes. Here are the incidents as reported by Georgia Tech.

On 3/16/09 at about 12:00 AM, an armed robbery occurred on Third Street near Spring Street. As the victim (not affiliated with the Institute) exited his vehicle near Third Street and Spring Street, an unknown male, accompanied by two females, pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded his belongings. All three subjects fled the area on foot.

On 03/16/2009 at approximately 12:30 AM, a Georgia Tech student was robbed at gunpoint on 14th Street just west of the 14th Street Mosque. According to the student, he was walking alone from the Family Living Center towards the BP Gas Station located at the intersection of 14th Street and Hemphill Avenue when he was approached from behind by a black male. The offender displayed a silver, semi-automatic handgun and demanded the student’s belongings. The student gave the male his wallet and was not injured. The offender then left the area on foot.

On 03/14/2009 at 4:30 AM, a Georgia Tech student was robbed at gunpoint on Centennial Olympic Park Drive near North Avenue Apartments. According to the student, he parked his vehicle on Centennial Olympic Park Drive and began walking southbound. As he was walking, he noticed four males walking his direction. Two of the males crossed the street while the other two continued walking towards him. As the two males got closer, one displayed a revolver and demanded the student’s belongings. The student gave the males his phone, wallet, and car keys. He was not injured. The two males who were across the street joined the other two males and stole the victim’s vehicle. They were last seen traveling northbound on Centennial Olympic Park Drive towards North Avenue.

On 03/16/2009 at 11:50 PM, a Georgia Tech student and his wife were robbed at gunpoint at the intersection of Calhoun Street and Hirsch Street. According to the student, he and his wife were walking back to their residence in the Home Park Area from the Mason CE Building when they were approached from behind by two black males. One of the offenders displayed a dark colored handgun and demanded their belongings. Their book bags, wallets, and cell phones were taken. The offenders then fled the area on foot.

Experience demonstrates that the law does not deter criminals from using firearms. The only known result of the "school safety zone" law is to make it known to predators in Atlanta that there are "easy pickings" in and around college campuses, since students, faculty, and law-abiding visitors scrupulously obey the "school safety zone" law and disarm. The Georgia law has nothing whatsoever to do with "safety" and everything to do with denying students and faculty their inherent right of self defense.

In the fifth robbery, the robber did not need a firearm to rob his compliant victim.

On 03/22/2009 at 6:05AM, a Georgia Tech student was robbed by force while walking back to campus from the 10th Street MARTA Station. The victim stated he was approached by a black male who asked for money to get something to eat. The offender followed the victim to the area of 10th Street and Williams Street where the offender pushed the victim to the ground and took his wallet. The offender then fled the area on foot. The victim suffered minor scrapes to his knee and elbow from the fall. This case is under investigation by the Atlanta Police Department. Description of Suspect:* Black Male 20-25 years of age * Approximately 5’10” Tall * Approximately 160lbs. with a thin build * Short hair * Clothing description is possibly a green jacket and dark colored pants

None of that "additional safety information" includes carrying the most effective means of self defense available, a firearm.

Georgia Tech is not the only campus recently to experience violence at the hand of armed criminals. The month of March also saw the shooting of a pregnant woman at Savannah Tech. Obviously, the current approach of pretending that one more law is going to stop criminals from carrying guns is not working.

Utah, by contrast, has very few armed crimes on its college campuses and, in spite of a state law overriding college gun ban policies, has yet to experience a single accident, gun crime, or gun theft from an armed student or faculty member. Utah's current approach seems to be working.

Several states are re-examining their school gun bans, and Georgia is one of them. Rep. Timothy Bearden (R-68) introduced HB 615 this year, which would, among other things, repeal the felony "school safety zone" law as it applies to holders of Georgia firearms licenses. HB 615 has about 40 co-sponsors and is expected to pass in 2010, the second year of the legislative session.

Both Tennessee and Texas have similar legislation pending, but it is facing opposition, some of it from the students themselves. John Woods, pictured above, said, "The idea that somebody could stop a school shooting with a gun is impossible. It's reactive, not preventative."

Mr. Woods should study his premise a little more carefully. It is not "impossible" to stop a school shooting, as several active shool shootings have been stopped by armed students and faculty. Mr. Woods' dogmatic statement leaves one wondering why there are not more reports of mass shooting murders in police stations and at shooting ranges on Saturday, which tends to be the most crowded day. The answer is simple, the mass murderers go where the disarmed and helpless victims like John Woods are. The psychopaths who commit these crimes like to have defenseless victims at their non-existent mercy. Right now, the best place to find such a crowd of disarmed victims is on your local school campus - unless you happen to live in Utah.

UPDATE - Following publication, it came to my attention that, in spite of the supposedly "gun free" zone status of Georgia Tech, there was yet another armed robbery committed by a robber with a gun. Apparently, those among us who are predisposed to commit violent crimes tend not to care much about violating one additional law. Georgia's law is not working, and it is time to stop denying us the right of self defense while visiting a school campus.

On 03/30/2009 at approximately 11:26 Pm, two Georgia Tech students were robbed at gunpoint in the Mechanical Engineering Alleyway, near the Skiles Classroom Building Walkway and Crossland Library. According to the victims, the offender approached them from behind and produced a silver semi-automatic handgun, demanding their wallets and book bags. The victims complied with the offender’s demands, and the offender fled the area on foot. No one was injured during the robbery.

· Black Male, dark complexion, slender build, approximately 5’10” – 5’11” tall wearing a black hoodie, dark blue jeans, and a ski mask armed with a silver semi-automatic pistol

Georgia gun laws are vague at best, but the laws are slowly starting to get straightened out, over the past few years many Georgia self-defense issues have been clarified (stand your ground, home and property defense, open carry... etc.).

Next big item on the agenda is a life-time carry license, and reforming the "public gathering" clause.

For those of you in Ga, join Georgia Carry (http://georgiacarry.org/) it has been growing like crazy and is making an impact on both Legislators and Legislation.

Seriously, what do you do if your dwelling is within a thousand feet?

Sounds like if you're a 5'10" criminal with a silver semi-auto, you starts rakin' in the dough from the local rubes! If you're not a criminal put your house up for sale...lotsa criminals looking for cheap homes, too!

From the Georgia Carry FAQ:

Q: May I carry at school?

A: No! Georgia law provides that possessing a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school is a felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison. There are numerous exceptions, however, and the most relevant are: A person with a firearms license may carry a firearm while dropping off or picking up a student. Off of the actual school property, a non-student may possess a firearm while in a vehicle in transit through the school zone, and any person residing in a school zone or conducting lawful business in a school zone (not on school property) may possess a firearm. In addition, teachers and other school personnel may keep a firearm locked in a locking compartment of a motor vehicle while parked on campus.

A school in Georgia includes public and private schools, colleges, and technical schools.

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