This year has not been a particularly secure one for those who live in Atlanta neighborhoods near Georgia Tech, and some students decided to help their colleagues less likely to fall prey to criminals who thing collegians are an easy target.
In a little more than a month earlier this year, Jan. 10 through Feb. 13, the area near the university saw seven reported incidents involving a weapon of some kind. And students make up a large part of those communities.
With the safety of his fellow students in mind, Rob Montgomery, the vice president of the school’s Marksmanship Club, spearheaded an effort by his club to teach other students how to use firearms to defend themselves, according to Fox5 news reports.
The class dovetails with the recent campus carry bill the governor signed into law last year. The Marksmanship Club is reaching out to those who want to carry, but don’t feel confident using their gun in a threatening situation.
The club teaches basic firearm safety and gives people a chance to practice their marksmanship skills.
It’s worth noting that Montgomery and a colleague, club president Phillip Yamin, have both received training from the Georgia Tech Police Department and have used that department’s threat simulator to have a good understanding of best practices for defensive handgun use.
The leaders of the club said that one day they would like to see if the campus police will make the simulator more widely available to Marksmanship Club members and others who are lawfully able to carry on campus.
The club, of course, was glad to see campus carry become a reality because it allows students to take a proactive role in terms of personal safety. “If someone thinks you have a gun, they are far less likely to target you for a robbery,” Montgomery told Fox5.
