By: Anthony Morelli
Ron DeSantis may have to respond to this very soon.
The gun community is all over it.
And it could change Florida gun laws in a big way.
Defensive uses of firearms are far more common than the anti-gun lobby wants to admit, and one of these cases is starting to gain serious traction among pro-gun news outlets.
It just so happens that this particular case happened in Florida, a state that is hotly debating whether to give more freedom to gun owners or keep the laws as they are.
Open carry is the hot issue in Florida at the moment, as the state’s “constitutional carry” law still does not allow for open carry, which is almost unheard of among states with constitutional carry.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has come out strongly in favor of open carry, and the gun community is behind him in this fight.
And now that a story about a defensive use of firearms is gaining traction, it could upend the entire fight.
If more conservative media outlets pick up this story, this could be the thing that pushes open carry over the finish line in Florida.
According to The Truth About Guns, “We all know that while, in theory, a restraining order carries the weight of the law behind it, in practice, it’s just a piece of paper that won’t stop an angry attacker who has already set out to break a more serious law like assault or murder. That’s why it’s a good idea to also have on hand something more functional to protect yourself from an angry ex or another antagonist—something that has been proven to stop threats no matter how dangerous they might be.
“Such was the case earlier this week in Lake City, Florida, when a man broke into the home where his ex-wife and children live. According to a report at ammoland.com, 31-year-old Langston Sykes, a local mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter nicknamed “Blaze,” forcibly entered the home at around 11 p.m.”
While this incident doesn’t specifically involve a case of open carry, as it happened in a home, it nonetheless highlights the life-saving value of allowing law-abiding citizens to carry firearms.
The article continues, “According to the Lake City Police Department, Sykes then rushed toward an adult occupant in the home, forcing him or her (the police report doesn’t make it clear) to fire multiple shots in self-defense.”
Florida is in a bit of an odd situation politically, as the state has gone from being moderate to being heavily conservative in just a few years, largely because of DeSantis himself.
The laws in the state, however, are still catching up to the new political reality, and the gun laws are not what they could be.
DeSantis is trying to change that, and this story could add fuel to the fire if more conservative media outlets run with it.
Gun owners in Florida are certainly hoping that the legislature passes open carry and gives them and their community more freedom.