Concealed Carry at Kent State and Ohio

Words by Miranda Kiner

Students and pro-gun activists gathered at Kent State’s main campus for an open carry demonstration, April 27. The event was hosted by Kent State senior biology major and Liberty Hangout president Kaitlin Bennett, and open carry activist Jeffery Smith.

Smith hosted a similar event at Kent State in September 2016 and Bennett invited him back last month.

Kent State’s policy regarding deadly weapons states “The possession, storage, or use of a deadly weapon by students, staff, faculty, third parties doing business with the university, and visitors is prohibited inside any university building, facility, or vehicle, that is owned, operated or leased by the university.”

It also states “Students, staff, faculty, and third parties doing business with the university are further prohibited from possessing, storing, or using a deadly weapon while outside on university grounds, that is owned, operated or leased by the university.”

This means visitors are allowed to conceal or open carry while outside on university grounds, just not in buildings. Students and faculty who participated in the demonstration did so by wearing gun holsters.

Bennett says she was happy with the outcome of the event.

“It was amazing,” said Bennet. “It went a lot  better than I thought that it would. Over 50 people showed up in support of it. The people that said they were going to protest ended up just talking to the people who came and were talking to people with firearms so I literally could not be happier with how it turned out.”

Bennett also says she hopes that people learn from this event that gun owners are not the problem. 

.”..while people who call for gun control are marching in the streets and refuse to have a conversation with people, gun owners and people who support the Second Amendment are exactly the opposite. We want to come out and have these discussions with people and have these conversations.”

In Ohio, a permit is only required for concealed carry of a handgun. Possession and purchase of a handgun, rifle or shotgun does not require a state issued permit or license. 

Bennett says she has completed the course to receive a concealed carry permit and is waiting to receive her permit.

According to the crime prevention research center, 16.3 million Americans had concealed carry permits in 2017. It was estimated that about 623,000 of Ohioans had concealed carry permits by the end of 2016