Citing shootings, NY sheriff urges citizens to carry guns

“In light of recent events that have occurred in the United States and around the world I want to encourage citizens of Ulster County who are licensed to carry a firearm to PLEASE DO SO”, Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum pleaded on the department’s official Facebook page.

“I urge you to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm”, Van Blarcum wrote.

Open carry is illegal in NY, but hide carry is permitted with the proper licensing.

“If you look around the United States in the past bunch of years and around the world, whenever there’s these mass shootings, you never hear of anybody standing up and firing back”, Blacrum said. “So we train all our people to the best of our ability, and I want to remind the pistol permit holders you got a pistol permit for a reason, and one of those reasons is to carry it and I encourage you to carry it”.

He said he’s “not trying to drum up a militia of any sort”.

The post has been shared almost 15,000 times and “liked” by more than 10,000 users.

Another wrote: “Considering the FACT that numerous massacres we have witnessed in our country were done with legally-purchased guns, I cannot believe our sheriff’s dept would write such an irresponsible directive. You have to think the answer is yes”, O’Donnell said.

Van Blarcum said in the phone interview that his post was a “reminder” to residents who are licensed to carry a concealed weapon that they should do so “if they are comfortable and proficient”. A statement from Sheriff’s Office confirmed that there is no immediate threat to Ulster County or the surrounding area. “Really? As a resident of Ulster county this makes me very uncomfortable”.