The Armed Citizen Project scored some major publicity today with news of its program to give free shotguns to homeowners in high-crime neighborhoods “to even the playing field” for homeowners against thugs and home invaders.
HOUSTON (FOX 26) – One Houston man is so fed up with the bad guys bullying and victimizing innocent people he decided to what he calls “even the playing field.” He’s giving away free guns to entire neighborhoods.
“Put the safety off. My finger is not on the trigger. That’s how you unload the gun,” Sara Dimitt demonstrates with her new 20-gauge shotgun. It’s a not so small gift given to Dimitt by a guy she just recently met.
“We give brand new pump action shotguns, 12 gauge or 20 gauge,” explains founder of the Armed Citizen Project Kyle Coplen. In fact, Coplen is offering free shotguns to every homeowner in the Oak Forest neighborhood in Northwest Houston. “The area we’re doing has about 400 homes in it. There was 107 home invasions last year,” explains Coplen.
Coplen came up with the Armed Citizen Project in January after he was disgusted by one of those break-ins, when World War Two veteran Elbert Wood had his house broken into.
“It’s really upsetting because your home is your castle. It’s where you should feel safe,” says Coplen.Coplen started spreading the word, accepting donations and putting shotguns into the hands of every resident in Oak Forest who wants one.
“I had mixed emotions about it when I found out about it. I was a little nervous about it,” says Dimitt.
“They’re easy to learn how to use. You don’t have to be an expert marksman,” adds Coplen.
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Coming to Illinois *very* soon
It’s worth nothing that this program is coming to Illinois, thanks in part to Guns Save Life, GSL Defense Training, LLC and others. Look for more on this in the coming weeks, particular on or around August 10th
If you want to help make this happen, with either instructional experience, a place for these folks to learn how to use a shotgun (required before ACP will provide them a shotgun), or as an FFL a willingness to do transfers for a minimal fee over cost, please get in contact with us.
Jan King is the Illinois coordinator for the Armed Citizen project. Her email address is janking0909 at me dot com.
I’m an FFL, we will do transfers for $2.00 (State Police fee)
sales@fluorecycle.com
This is a REALLY bad idea for Chicago. Has anyone looked past the wishful thinking to realise that it is commone practice in the inner city to use females with no record as fronts (usually for apartments)? Is anyone using their heads and connecting the dots that this isessentially a free shotguns for gangbangers program?
As I have read about this project and what John B has talked about, I am certain that every possibility and placement has been researched. I trust GSL and John Boch completely.
One precaution they take is that only home owners are eligible, not people who rent.
What about FOID cards?
I’ve been trying to respond to this article since shortly after it was posted. I have a response for Black_Ops_Man I’ll re-post in a moment.
Jerry, YES, FOID cards would, of course, be REQUIRED in order for people in IL to participate in the ACProject.
Interested in learning more? Email me and we’ll get you in the loop on this start-up project!
Black_Ops_Blue,
Your point is well taken. However, sir, please consider that – by a long shot (pardon the pun), not ALL of the shotguns for ACP will be placed in Chicago!
In high-crime areas, where people (usually women with kids) feel especially vulnerable, this is especially true. NO NEWS FLASH: There are several other “pockets of crime” throughout the Land of Lincoln.
With ACP, we’re not at their mercy to follow a cookie-cutter approach to “the ACP way” of doing this. What a win-win! For once, we – the believers of the 2nd Amendment in IL – get a real voice in HOW our neighborhoods/towns and their people are able to protect themselves! Wow.
How very cool is it that each recipient is trained and licensed?! Some recipients will actually have more training than SOME folks who have a firearm, no background check, no training and no respect of the laws. Oh, and patience, too. (Because everyone knows that a FOID card isn’t something you can just get overnight!)
Most volunteer-based projects are top-down-driven and actions (or inactions) are dictated by the national organization. The ACP is not managed that way. (yea!) They believe, that “what works in Houston won’t necessarily work in Decatur or Pontiac or Effingham or Urbana or Joliet or wherever”. We have the liberty and the satisfaction of DESIGNING this program. NEWS FLASH: We get to shape the program based on what works for we, the people of Illinois!
With all of this in mind, I invite you to come, work together to MAKE IT WORK for IL. Let’s be a part of POSITIVE change for a change. Not the “change you can believe in”, but the “change you can be a PART of for a change”. (OK, slogans aren’t my strong suit, but I hope you get it)….