Concealed carry class comes to central GA

“Guns are personal.” That was something Lana Fore Bryan, Regional Manager of U.S. LawShield stressed early on in the concealed carry class that she helped facilitate through Focused Fire Training, Saturday in Macon. She mentioned it after speaking unfavorably about those who frequent public places such as Walmart with their guns in plain sight, explaining how easily it would be for someone else to walk up and grab the weapon and cause harm to unsuspecting innocent people.

In her facilitation, Bryan talked about how important it was for guns to be easily accessible, while also being concealed. “When bad guys come to you, do you know how much time you have? Less than seconds,” she pointed out. “When I’m getting mugged, I’m not going to say to the bad guy… hold on. Let me get my pretty gun out of my pretty holster in my pretty purse, and then I will shoot you. That doesn’t work.” Bryan gauged that 1.8 seconds is about the amount of time one has to pull a gun from his or her holster and shoot, if it becomes necessary.

Gun access is something that every person has to consider. Bryan said it just wasn’t about having a gun, but determining where the gun would be carried on an individual’s person so that they would have easy access to it should the need to use it arise. However, she also mentioned that use of the gun should be a last resort, if at all possible. “If I can stop the threat by using anything first, I will,” she said. “So if somebody comes in here trying to hurt me, I will pick up something and throw it at them before I shoot them.”

Georgia, according to Bryan, is a “shall issue” state. The term is used for states that require a license—not a permit—to carry a concealed weapon. In Georgia, once an applicant who is over the age of 21, passes a background check and meets the legal criteria, a license is issued. Applications for licenses are completed at probate courts, and Bryan revealed that currently, the earliest available appointments slots are at the end of September and the beginning of October. This is largely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“COVID started, and they closed the offices—even though they were still working,” said Bryan. “When they reopened… now it’s appointment only. You could just go in and get it before; it took three seconds,” she shared. “Now you have to make an appointment.” She indicated that the new appointment mandate might cause some annoyance, but Bryan encouraged those who wanted a permit to call back often, because someone else’s cancellation might allow another person to get in a bit sooner than what the schedule indicates.

Carry licenses are good for five years. When renewal dates are nearing, Bryan strongly suggested that carriers not put it off. “If you let it expire, you’ll have to go back through the whole thing again,” she warned.

Additionally, it is important that those who get licensed are aware that they are required by law to always keep their driver’s license or photo ID on them when they are carrying their weapon, whether it is concealed or not. “The Georgia carry license gives you the authorization to carry open or concealed,” she explained, further stating that 33 of the 50 states recognized Georgia’s carry license. This means that if a person who is licensed to carry in Georgia is found carrying in those 33 states, the license will be honored. However, it is up to the carrying individual to know the laws of each state regarding carrying there. “You have to follow that state’s laws regardless to whether they have reciprocity with us or not,” Bryan told her class attendees, citing, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”

People are not required to have a carry license in the state of Georgia as long as the weapon is kept in their car, home or workplace (with the permission of their employer). If a Georgia driver is pulled over for speeding within the state, Bryan said that the officer isn’t concerned with whether a gun is in the car, and since carrying a gun in the car is not against the law, the driver is not obligated to disclose that information. However, if that same Georgia driver is pulled over for speeding in South Carolina, they do have to disclose that information due to the differences in the gun carrying laws of both states.

Even for those with a carrying license, it is illegal to carry a gun wherever the federal law prohibits, such as places like courthouses and post offices. This includes the parking lots of these establishments. “The parking lot of the post office is owned by the post office,” Bryan said. “If, when you’re posting that letter in the blue mailbox, you have your gun in the car, you are officially breaking the law.” She advised against taking guns on military bases as well.

While guns can be brought to airports (i.e. when licensed carriers are coming to pick up someone who has flown into Georgia), Bryan said the guns could not be carried beyond the TSA line. At that point, they have crossed the federal threshold and carrying on federal property is an additional $13,000 fine. Travelers are at liberty to take guns with them as they fly from one place to another, but those guns cannot be on their person. Instead, they must be inside of the checked luggage, and the magazines of the guns must be empty. Ammunition must be kept in a separate lockbox inside the checked luggage, and full disclosure has to be provided to TSA regarding the weapon.

When advising on shooting methods, Bryan told the class to “go for center mass,” which is the area of the body that carries the most vital organs. She said if the carrier has time to aim for the perpetrator’s knees, that person was never a real threat. “You’re trying to stop the threat. You’re trying to stop the person from hurting you, so you need to act as fast as you can.”

In the state of Georgia, a carrier can defend a third party, but Bryan said that doing so could become a sticky situation to a carrier when their weapon is used to try and help others. Bryan gave the example of a man who saw a husband brutally beating his wife. To save her, he became involved and ultimately shot the husband. The wife turned around and sued the shooter, saying that she was accustomed to her husband’s brutal beatings. Bryan stressed that every carrier had to use his or her own judgment in determining if they wanted to risk getting involved in other people’s matters.

In another example, she talked about a family—made up of herself, her husband and her grandchild—that was approached in their vehicle by a man carrying a knife. The man pulled all of them from the car and threw them to the ground before jumping in the family’s car and driving away. She, as the wife, remembered that she had a gun and she begins shooting as the man drives away in their stolen car.

“Can I do that?” Bryan asked. She answered her own question with a resounding, “No.” Further stating, “There was no longer a threat. I’m on the grass. I might have a bunch of bruises… my granddaughter might be hurt. My husband might be hurt, but I’m okay.” Bryan taught that the time to shoot would have been when the offender approached the car with a knife. At that point, there was still the heightened possibility that harm would have been caused to the family.

“It’s your life or theirs,” she said. “Remember that.”

Part two of this article will be shared in Saturday’s paper and will cover topics such as “Stand Your Ground” and “Duty to Retreat.” What do they mean? Also Bryan imparts more gun knowledge and tips, and we will share the feedback of some who took Bryan’s informative workshop. In the meantime, if you are interested in applying for a weapons carry license, please visit www.houstoncountyga.org for information.

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