It has to be more than politics. And if they've done any research at all they know concealed carry license holders are very safe. So why do some stores, businesses, malls etc., have no-gun policies?
Maybe their liability insurance premiums are cheaper if they post the signs. Or maybe the company lawyer advised them to do it. Here's the scenario. A crazy person goes into a mall, starts shooting, and kills some customers. The mall owner's defense would be that the incident was unforeseeable, and they thought their security system was adequate. So the mall owner's liability would be minimal.
However, in that same scenario, if a sane person with a concealed carry license pulled his/her weapon and neutralized the crazy person but also accidentally shot a bystander, then the liability would arise because the mall owner could have prevented that bystander from getting shot if they only had put up some 30.06 signs.
OK, I know. That theory is so weak I can't even convince myself. It has to be political.
Meanwhile, 30.06 refers to the Texas Penal Code statute which provides that a business may post a notice at its entrances, which if honored by concealed carry license holders, would prevent them from carrying a weapon into the establishment. And we're talking about this because the morning paper seems to be trying to gin up news stories about the recent posting of 30.06 signs at Midland Park Mall here in Midland, Texas. (See a thumb of the mall sign on the right.)
Most concealed carry license holders will honor the sign, and that presents another problem. Vehicle burglars will know that many of the license holders will leave their guns in their vehicles in the parking lot. An ordinary break-in might yield a $600 gun. So the mall parking lot becomes a prime target.
The gun owner has a dilemma. Does he/she risk becoming a Class A misdemeanant or risk losing a gun?
A friend has a solution. He uses a cable lock to secure his gun to the structure under the vehicle seat. Smart. A burglar with a bolt cutter could get it. But it's a game of odds, and odds are the typical smash and grab artist won't be carrying one.
Link: Texas DPS concealed carry PAMPHLET.
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