Colorado’s Republican State Rep. Patrick Neville remembers the shooting at Columbine High School that left 13 dead—he was there, as a student, in 1999. He’s since graduated and entered his state’s Senate, where he’s fighting to expand gun rights in public schools.
Neville has introduced a bill, co-sponsored by his father, state Sen. Tim Neville, that would allow teachers to carry concealed weapons on campus.
“Our teachers and faculty were heroic in so many ways that day,” he recalled. “That’s why I truly believe had some of them had the legal authority to be armed, more of my friends would still be alive today.”
“This bill will allow honest law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed firearm for protection if they choose to,” Neville told The Hill. “But most importantly, it will give them the right to be equipped to defend our children from the most dangerous situations.”
“As was the case in 1999, criminals aren’t deterred by a flashy sign on the door,” Neville said. “The only thing that is going to stop murderers intent on doing harm is to give good people the legal authority to carry a gun to protect themselves and our children.”
Neville’s bill has little change of passing, however. “Unfortunately,” Neville told the Denver Post, “the current system continues to leave our children as sitting targets for criminals intent on doing harm.”
