RAYMORE, MO -
Weapons are not allowed in Raymore's city hall, but if a city council member has his way anybody who walks through the front doors could be packing heat.
Raymore City Council member Jeff Cox is sponsoring an ordinance that would allow people with concealed carry permits to bring their weapons inside city owned and operated buildings. Currently the State of Missouri allows people with permits to carry concealed weapons inside city buildings as long as city ordinance doesn't specifically prohibit them.
The move comes after a February, 2008, shooting in Kirkwood, Missouri, when five people were gunned down during a city council meeting. Cox says that if others in the meeting had concealed weapons, the outcome may have been different.
"The sign on the door that said no weapons allowed that didn't stop him from walking inside and committing six murders that night," said Cox. "What that prohibition did do, it stopped law abiding citizens from defending themselves."
The bill would also allow city council members to carry concealed weapons during meetings, a provision that has raised the objections of Raymore Mayor Juan Alonzo.
"To think that we've got to carry guns up here because we need to protect ourselves is just hypocritical, arrogant and borders on cowardice," said Alonzo. "We're saying these people out in the audience don't need them, but we do."
The bill would also allow people without a concealed carry permit to have a weapon in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, and allow people without a permit to carry a weapon within city limits.
"When a criminal does not know whether a person is carrying or not, it makes them think twice about committing a violent act," said Cox.
The council will vote on the ordinance on December 14th. Mayor Alonzo says that he will veto the bill, and if the council members override the veto he'll will let the ordinance become law without his signature.
Raymore City Council member Jeff Cox is sponsoring an ordinance that would allow people with concealed carry permits to bring their weapons inside city owned and operated buildings. Currently the State of Missouri allows people with permits to carry concealed weapons inside city buildings as long as city ordinance doesn't specifically prohibit them.
The move comes after a February, 2008, shooting in Kirkwood, Missouri, when five people were gunned down during a city council meeting. Cox says that if others in the meeting had concealed weapons, the outcome may have been different.
"The sign on the door that said no weapons allowed that didn't stop him from walking inside and committing six murders that night," said Cox. "What that prohibition did do, it stopped law abiding citizens from defending themselves."
The bill would also allow city council members to carry concealed weapons during meetings, a provision that has raised the objections of Raymore Mayor Juan Alonzo.
"To think that we've got to carry guns up here because we need to protect ourselves is just hypocritical, arrogant and borders on cowardice," said Alonzo. "We're saying these people out in the audience don't need them, but we do."
The bill would also allow people without a concealed carry permit to have a weapon in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, and allow people without a permit to carry a weapon within city limits.
"When a criminal does not know whether a person is carrying or not, it makes them think twice about committing a violent act," said Cox.
The council will vote on the ordinance on December 14th. Mayor Alonzo says that he will veto the bill, and if the council members override the veto he'll will let the ordinance become law without his signature.
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