The Proactive Shooters website has a forum where you can interact with other gun owners, concealed carry permit holders, and Proactive Shooters’ staff members.

Lately, our forum has not seen much activity. That’s why we need your help! Stop by and introduce yourself. You can discuss a variety of topics, ask questions, and even put your firearm related items up for sale.

Check it out!    http://www.proactiveshooters.com/forum/

Perry supports school district’s decision to allow guns

By JANET ELLIOTT 

Houston Chronicle

Aug. 18, 2008, 6:08PM

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry said Monday that local school districts should be able to decide whether to allow concealed weapons on their campuses.

“I’m pretty much a fan that if you’ve been trained, if you are registered, then you ought to be able to carry a weapon,” he said.

Perry was asked about the policy of a tiny school district west of Wichita Falls, which may be the first in the nation to allow employees who are licensed to carry concealed handguns to bring their weapons to campus.

After the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech University, Perry expressed support for allowing Texans who are legally licensed to carry their concealed handguns anywhere, including churches, bars, courthouses and college campuses.

Those premises are now off limits by state law to concealed handgun license holders. The chairman of the House Law Enforcement Committee said he plans to introduce legislation next year to allow concealed weapons at colleges and universities.

Harrold Superintendent David Thweatt said his school board unanimously passed the concealed weapon policy last October to protect employees and students in the case of an armed intruder or hostage situation.

The district’s lone K-12 school, with 110 students, sits near a major highway and is a 30-minute drive from the sheriff’s office.

Texas’ penal code prohibits firearms at schools “unless pursuant to the written regulations or written authorizations of the institution.”

A federal law bans guns on or near schools but has an exception for persons licensed by a state where the school is located to carry concealed handguns.

James Dark, executive director of the Texas State Rifle Association, said both federal and state law allow exemptions to support the policy adopted by Harrold ISD.

“I think they have a pretty clear and compelling reason to consider their security arrangement,” Dark said. “They’re out there on their own.”

Dark said he has not heard of other school districts considering similar policies. Houston school districts said last week they won’t follow Harrold ISD’s lead.

Marsha McCartney, president of the North Texas Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said the training for a concealed carry license isn’t up to the level of law enforcement.

“It’s ridiculous to think that these people are going to have the expertise that law enforcement officers have,” she said. “I’m not sure a teacher with just a concealed carry permit is the person you want protecting your school.”

McCartney added that she is concerned about the message children in Harrold ISD may be getting.

“They are showing their children there’s lots to be afraid of. You’ve got to have a weapon on your body at all times or you’re in danger,” she said.

Perry mentioned the 1991 massacre at a Luby’s cafeteria in Killeen as an instance where allowing concealed weapons likely would have saved lives. The killings of 23 people, including the parents of former state Rep. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, by a lone gunman who then shot himself was a catalyst for passage of Texas’ concealed handgun law in 1995.

A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to pass a law specifically allowing teachers and staff to pack heat when classes begin later this month.

Trustees at the Harrold Independent School District approved a district policy change last October so employees can carry concealed firearms to deter and protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting teachers follow certain requirements.

Superintendent David Thweatt told FOXNews.com the policy was initiated because of safety concerns.

“We have had employees assaulted before by people in the last several years,” Thweatt said. “I think that safety is big concern. We are seeing a lot of anger in society.”

He wouldn’t comment further on the nature of the assaults.

The Texas superintendent linked gun-free zones with the uprising of school shootings in recent years.

“When you make schools gun-free zones, it’s like inviting people to come in and take advantage,” Thweatt told FOXNews.com.

In order for teachers and staff to carry a pistol, they must have a Texas license to carry a concealed handgun; must be authorized to carry by the district; must receive training in crisis management and hostile situations and must use ammunition that is designed to minimize the risk of ricochet in school halls.

Thweatt said the small community is a 30-minute drive from the sheriff’s office, leaving students and teachers without protection. He said the district’s lone campus sits 500 feet from heavily trafficked U.S. 287, which could make it a target.

The kindergarten through 12th grade school district is home to 110 students.

Thweatt said officials researched the policy and considered other options for about a year before approving the policy change. He said the district also has various other security measures in place to prevent a school shooting.

“The naysayers think [a shooting] won’t happen here,” Thweatt said. “If something were to happen here, I’d much rather be calling a parent to tell them that their child is OK because we were able to protect them.”

He told FOXNews.com he doesn’t think students will think twice about the new policy.

“I hope they forget all about it,” he said. “We want them to pay attention [to their school work].”

Texas law outlaws firearms on school campuses “unless pursuant to the written regulations or written authorization of the institution.”

While the district’s plan shot them into the national spotlight, carrying guns to school is nothing new some states. In Utah, the law allows anyone with a permit to carry a gun in public schools and state institutions of higher education.

It was unclear how many of the 50 or so teachers and staff members will be armed this fall because Thweatt did not disclose that information, to keep it from students or potential attackers.

Wilbarger County Sheriff Larry Lee did not immediately return a call placed to his office by FOXNews.com.

Barbara Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas Association of School Boards, said her organization did not know of another district with such a policy. Ken Trump, a Cleveland-based school security expert who advises districts nationwide, including in Texas, said Harrold is the first district with such a policy.

The district is 150 miles northwest of Fort Worth on the eastern end of Wilbarger County, near the Oklahoma border.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Proactive Shooters President and Chief Firearms Instructor James Reynolds participated in the recent filming of a National Geographic documentary. The filming was conducted on Saturday, August 9th at the Showmasters Gun Show held at the Richmond Raceway.

The documentary details a young lady’s introduction to handguns and her desire to purchase her first handgun for self defense. Mr. Reynolds assisted by escorting her around the show and answering her questions regarding the various types of handguns for sale. Mr. Reynolds was also interviewed by the film crew regarding his thoughts on armed citizens defending themselves against crime.

“The crew was great to work with”, said Mr. Reynolds. “They were very professional and genuinely interested in the topic. The young lady asked intelligent questions and seemed very interested in learning all that she could to make an informed purchase decision.”

Getting mic’ed up before filming

Discussing the Proactive Shooters training program

Explaining the various types of semi-auto handguns

Discussing the differences between semi-autos and revolvers 

The documentary is scheduled to air in December 2008.

Man is arrested in uncle’s killing

Family is left heartbroken and mystified by shooting Friday night in driveway

Sunday, Aug 03, 200

Powhatan County authorities yesterday arrested a man accused of the shotgun slaying of his uncle Friday night.

David Woodfin Jr., 21, of Powhatan was apprehended yesterday afternoon 4 miles from where the shooting took place in a neighborhood off Huguenot Trail in central Powhatan.

Donald P. Malkemus Jr., 49, was fatally shot in the driveway of his parents’ home in the 3100 block of French Hill Drive, family members say.

Suzanne Malkemus, the victim’s mother, said her son had just dropped her off at home after a birthday party for his 13-year-old son.

“He told me on the way home, ‘The most important thing in my life are my sons,’” she painfully recalled yesterday. “He was a wonderful son and a wonderful father. I’m so sorry this had to happen.”

Police responded Friday at 9:49 p.m. to the report of a fatal shooting at the home where Woodfin was visiting his grandparents. When authorities arrived, they discovered the body of Malkemus, a Powhatan resident and owner of a tree-service business.

Relatives said there had been a brief exchange between Malkemus and Woodfin before Malkemus got in his truck to leave.

“There was just a disagreement and things got out of hand,” said William Douglas Malkemus, the victim’s brother. “I think David was just trying to scare him and something happened that wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t think he meant to do this.”

Suzanne Ridout, Malkemus’ sister, said her brother and Woodfin had gotten along relatively well, but she said the nephew owed his uncle money. Woodfin had previously worked for Malkemus, she said.

“He was just a good, hardworking man,” Ridout said of her brother. “This doesn’t make any sense.”

After an almost 16-hour search, Powhatan sheriff’s deputies arrested Woodfin yesterday about 1:30 p.m. in the 2700 block of Red Lane Road. He had been detained at gunpoint by a homeowner who recognized Woodfin after he rang the doorbell to ask to use the phone.

“With the help of the citizens, this was brought to a successful end,” said Powhatan Chief Deputy Daniel K. Giardini, who added that this was the second slaying in Powhatan in two months. Before this summer, the county had gone about five years without a homicide, he said.

Woodfin had been missing since just after the shooting, when he walked back into the house, dropped off the shotgun and took some money before leaving on foot, Ridout said.

Woodfin is charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in a felony. He’s being held without bond pending a court appearance Wednesday.

“This is a tragedy in a lot of different ways,” said Mary Catherine Malkemus, another sister of the victim, adding that her brother leaves behind a wife and two sons.

“Any way you turn, there’s no good outcome. It just doesn’t get much worse than this,” she said.

story courtesy of the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Virginia Tech employee shoots himself at Cassell Coliseum, officials say

A Virginia Tech employee shot himself in a room off of the Cassell Coliseum arena on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

Tech police responded to the incident at 2:15 p.m., and the man was flown to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Chief Wendell Flinchum said.

Officials declined to identify the man, and his condition is unknown.

Although officials said the shooting posed no threat to the campus community, Flinchum said police notified the public by e-mail using a part of an alert system put in place following the April 16, 2007 shootings.

story courtesy of The Roanoke Times

Proactive Shooters now offers the “Utah Course”. Concealed carry enthusiasts know that the Utah non-resident concealed carry permit is the permit to have. If you travel for business or pleasure, now you can maintain your personal safety across the country. This is a 5 hour class (classroom lecture only) and the cost is $79.95. The Utah non-resident concealed firearm permit is the most widely accepted non-resident permit in the United States. This class follows the training outline mandated by the State of Utah, Bureau of Criminal Identification and covers many different aspects of firearms safety and ownership, as well as Utah law. A student manual, certificate, and fingerprint card will be provided. Compare this map to the Virginia map to see the additional states that this permit provides. Seating is limited to 18 and the class fills quickly. This class is currently scheduled for:
Saturday, August, 16, 2008 from 12 noon - 5pm

******register here******

 
These sessions are scheduled in one hour increments with a NRA certified firearms instructor. You will learn shooting basics such as stance, grip, sight picture, sight alignment, trigger squeeze and breathing control. This is a live fire exercise conducted at a local shooting range. The cost of this training is $25.00 per hour (additional range fees apply).

One-on-one training sessions are available in one hour increments. Please contact us at (804) 307-8315 or training@ProactiveShooters.com for time slot availability. Lessons are by appointment only.