Upstate New York sheriff urges licensed gun owners to carry firearm with them Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. – An upstate New York sheriff is urging residents of his county who are licensed gun owners to arm themselves when they leave home, citing recent mass shootings in the United States and Paris.
"I urge you to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm," Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum, a Democrat, wrote on the department's Facebook page less than 24 hours after 14 people were shot dead in San Bernardino, California.
The post quickly drew hundreds of comments, for and against it.
"I'm not trying to drum up a militia of any sort," Van Blarcum told The Associated Press on Thursday. "It's just a reminder that if you want to, you have a right to carry it. It might come in handy. It's better to have it than not have it. We're partners with the public in crime prevention."
The largely rural county in the Catskill Mountains about two hours north of New York City has 10,000 licensed handgun owners, Van Blarcum said.
"I urge you to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm," Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum, a Democrat, wrote on the department's Facebook page less than 24 hours after 14 people were shot dead in San Bernardino, California.
The post quickly drew hundreds of comments, for and against it.
"I'm not trying to drum up a militia of any sort," Van Blarcum told The Associated Press on Thursday. "It's just a reminder that if you want to, you have a right to carry it. It might come in handy. It's better to have it than not have it. We're partners with the public in crime prevention."
The largely rural county in the Catskill Mountains about two hours north of New York City has 10,000 licensed handgun owners, Van Blarcum said.
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