WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | WAVE 3 finds out how many Kentuckians have concealed weapons permits

WAVE 3 finds out how many Kentuckians have concealed weapons permits

By Janelle MacDonald
WAVE 3 Investigator

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- A grand jury decision not to indict a former Jeffersontown police officer accused in a shooting at a Kroger parking lot has brought up questions again over concealed weapons and the permits that allow people to carry them. Both Darren Pickerill and Richard Koenig were licensed to do so. We sent WAVE 3 Investigator Janelle MacDonald to find out what people applying for those licenses learn about when to pull out their guns.

Pickerill's mother told WAVE 3 Wednesday, this doesn't change her mind about laws in Kentucky over concealed carry weapons.

But Tuesday, Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Stengel said this case demonstrates one of the dangers of people doing so: "That's the danger of these carry concealed things, people get out there and if they pull them out and the other guy is carrying concealed too, somebody is likely to die before it's all over."

The people who teach concealed carry classes say in most cases, it should never get to that point.

Win Underwood says, "As a concealed carry person, you want to think as many reasons as possible not to use a gun."

Underwood is manager and part owner of Bluegrass Indoor Range in Louisville. He says he focuses on teaching people how to carry those concealed weapons responsibly.

"We're probably doing about 80 folks a month," Underwood said.

In Kentucky, state police tell us a total of 99, 386 people have licenses to carry concealed weapons. More than 12,000 applications were turned in last year. Troopers turned down 564 of them.

According to Underwood, most apply for one of three reasons:

1. You can take a gun with you wherever you may need it.
2. It's eases restrictions on where it can be in your car.
3. You can travel to 35 other states with it.

Underwood says, "If you're taking concealed carry, you're taking it for a reason. So if you're going to have to use it, you want to make sure you're on good solid footing when you pull a gun out."

He says he doesn't know much about the Koenig-Pickerill case, but it's a good example of what can happen if you pull a gun to scare someone.

"Well, that's a perfect example of why you don't want to do that. So those are the kinds of things that we discuss very generically," said Underwood.

He tries to stress being what he calls a good ambassador of the concealed carry program.

Underwood says, "That you're professionally keeping the gun concealed, that you're not pulling the gun out and scaring people with it, that you're handling the gun responsibly."

Underwood tells WAVE 3 that he finds most police chiefs and those at the top positions in law enforcement would rather not have citizens walking around with concealed weapons. He says street officers tell him they support it.

Online Reporter:  Janelle MacDonald

Online Producer: Charles Gazaway