Gun debate focuses on college campuses in Indiana

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Should guns be allowed on college campuses? That's the question Indiana lawmakers are trying to answer.

"This is kind of a tricky subject because for a lot of people especially in the state of Indiana, they believe that the Second Amendment is very important," said Andy Downs of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics.

Republican Senator Jim Banks introduced the bill after being approached by students who wanted to carry firearms for their protection. The bill would allow students with permits at state funded universities to conceal and carry.  

"Public interest in a bill is really important," Downs said. "It's not the only thing that's necessary for a bill to move through our process here, but when there is a great deal of public interest in a bill it's much more likely to get attention."

Quite a few students at IPFW said students should be allowed to conceal and carry with a permit.

"I think the more people that you have that are sane and have a weapon and are able to react to a situation the quicker and easier it will be handled," said Joshua Shank, a sophomore at IPFW who also serves on the Student Government Association.

A few state schools such as IU, Ball State, and Purdue have student groups focused on this issue. IPFW students said their school should also create a conceal and carry support organization.

"I think it's better to be proactive than reactive rather than to wait for us to have some sort of incident here to decide that we do need it," Shank said.

While some students agree guns should be allowed, they think the school should take a more active role in overseeing the armed students, by implementing an approval or certification program.

"For the safety of the students on campus, I think it would bring more peace to them knowing there was some type of regulation inside the campus, not just the state," Julie Reusser, and IPFW senior said.

However, some said the thought of having their peers carry guns around campus makes them nervous.

"I would feel scared," said Alandia Kelly, who works at the IPFW bookstore. "I mean I want the most protection, so I'll know that I'd be safe and secure to work."

Currently in Indiana, the decision to ban firearms on campus is made by each university or college.