Gun control debate heating up

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Following the Newtown mass shooting, many conversations have shifted to gun control laws.

NewsChannel 15 spoke with a gun store president and a gun control advocate who both agree what the country needs is stricter regulations. Although, many say it seems to have taken the death of twenty children to prompt lawmakers to want to make some changes.

"I think the main lesson hopefully we can learn from this latest horrific tragedy is doing nothing isn't working," said Paul Helmke, the former president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Helmke said change will only come with a conversation from both sides of the table.

"There's an individual right to have a gun under the Second Amendment," Helmke said. "People might disagree with that, but that matter is settled now. Now, it's an issue of gun responsibility and being aware of gun risks."

Gun shop owners agree responsibility is the biggest part of owning a gun but don't think lawmakers should jump to getting rid of them all together.

"My thought was right away that they were going to go towards the banned route," said Russell Concordia, the president of Ranger Supply gun shop on the Southwest side of Fort Wayne. "As most people would think, it's a terrible tragedy what happened to the kids, but the firearms aren't what did it, some psychopath did it."

Many gun shop owners around Fort Wayne said their sales have actually skyrocketed in the wake of Friday's shooting.

"Each day we've been extremely busy," Concordia said. "We've actually been running out of inventory.

However, both Helmke and Concordia agree banning wouldn't necessarily solve the problem but a stronger system might.

"We need a strong background check system," Helmke said.

Likewise, Concordia said, "I would like to see the existing laws be enforced better than what they are. I'd like to see people who have been arrested several times for fire arms related crimes to stay in jail."

Concordia also said his store does not have online sales to have a better idea of where and to whom their firearms are going.