Now that Constitutional Carry is officially the law of the land in Louisiana, legal gun owners don't need to have a state-issued permission slip before exercising their right to bear arms, and that's a wonderful thing. But while I'm not in favor of training mandates, I do believe that if you're going to carry a firearm for self-defense you should be comfortable and competent with it, and one gun shop in Baton Rouge is stepping up to offer free training to new gun owners; specifically, those who are looking to protect themselves from their abusers. 

On June 26, Brenda Morris was allegedly murdered by her husband, Sean Morris. The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office said he shot and killed Brenda in their home after a fight. District Manager of Precision Firearms and Indoor Range Christopher Woosley said domestic violence is increasing statewide. 

“Louisiana is ranked among the top states for domestic violence,” said Woosley. “There are people and resources they can contact that can help them get out of a bad situation.”

Woosley also said to bring a police report or restraining order to sign up for the class. He said it’s offered throughout the year.

Precision Firearms actually has two options for those looking to get some education; a two-hour class that goes over the fundamentals of gun laws in the Bayou State, or a nine-hour class that serves as the training requirements for those who do choose to get a concealed carry license. 

“Anything that shows us you’ve been a victim of these things, and we’ll sign you up for the class free of charge,” said Woosley. “I want them to know it’s not their fault. I want them to know that if they’re being victimized by stalking, they need to document every single contact.”

Good for Woolsey. And lest any gun control advocate suggest that the shop's only suggestion to victims of domestic violence is "get a gun", note that Precision Firearms' manager is also encouraging those victims to use the laws on the books to keep their abuser or stalker in check. 

A protective order isn't a suit of armor, nor does it make the bearer bulletproof. But as Nikki Goeser and I have discussed before, protective orders are not only a tool that law enforcement can use to charge an abuser, it also provides a paper trail in case a victim is forced to protect their life with a firearm. 

Back in February we reported on a self-defense shooting in Kentucky where a man was killed while trying to break into his ex-wife's home. Scott Ingram had violated orders of protection on multiple occasions, and a warrant for his arrest had been issued for his latest violation just a few hours before he was shot as he attempt to gain entry to his ex-wife's residence. As I wrote at the time:

I would never discourage anyone from taking out an order of protection if they have reason to believe that their life is in danger, but you simply can't rely on a piece of paper or the local police to be your only source of safety. Even when an order is violated, an arrest may not happen for hours, days, or even weeks later if authorities can't locate the suspect. And if an arrest is made, there's no guarantee that they won't quickly bond out of jail and carry out their previous threats. 

Which is where education and training on firearms comes in to play. Precision Firearms is doing a valuable service to the community by offering these free classes, and I'd love to see more ranges and gun stores do the same.