A high school in North Carolina recently opened its first-ever shooting range facility. The 1,200-square-foot structure was built to train students in the art of air rifle shooting. However, some protests have claimed that the facility could lead to greater dangers in the community.
Program Director Assures No Dangers
According to WRAL, only licensed members of Smithfield-Selma High School's Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) can hone their marksmanship at the newly-furnished facility. The program's commander David Wegman assured anti-gun groups that the shooting range poses no security threat.
Wegman assures that this is because NJROTC cadets are trained to observe extreme caution and forbearance while using the equipment. Becoming a qualified NJROTC cadet isn't a walk in the park either.
Strict Requirements For Enrolles
Students who enroll in the program must undergo extensive firearm training before they can use the shooting range. As of the moment, only four students have met the program's stringent requirements.
"There's a marksmanship safety test they have to take, and they have to get a 100 on it," Wegman explained. "In addition to that, they have to sign a safety pledge, get permission from home and then finally demonstrate on the range that they know how to handle one of these air rifles safely."
Proper Gun Handling
Wegman added that the NJROTC cadets follow strict operating procedures in which they "do the same thing, the same way, every single time." For his part, NJROTC cadet Timothy Jones said safety is their utmost priority.
"You go out there, and you're relying on others," said Jones. "You have to have the trust in others that they are handling a weapon, that they are not going to harm you, and you're not going to harm them."
Doubt Still Lingers
Despite these assurances, some anti-gun groups still wish Smithfield-Selma hadn't opened the shooting range. It's easy to understand why as reports of numerous school shootings continue to traumatize the American public. In particular, news regarding Smithfield-Selma's new shooting range revived the stigma of the notorious Columbine Massacre.
Columbine Massacre Tragedy
The horrific shooting happened exactly 17 years ago in Columbine High School in Colorado. Two teens carrying firearms managed to pass through the school's security before going on a brutal killing spree.
CW39 reported that the shooters gunned down 12 students and one teacher. They also injured 23 helpless civilians before ending their own lives to evade arrest.
