On April 18, the National Carry Academy (NCA) released new statistics regarding individuals taking concealed carry courses in the wake of the Parkland shooting.
According to the NCA, “The number of women taking concealed carry courses through the NCA is up 24% since the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida on February 14.”
The NCA further notes that “historically, men have received 66% of all concealed carry permits issued through the NCA. Since the Parkland shooting, half of all enrollees to the course are women.” They add that since the shooting, “the number of permits issued for all Americans to carry a concealed weapon through the National Carry Academy has jumped about 120%”
The Daily Wire spoke with National Carry Academy CEO Chris Schutrop for more information:
Q: When was the NCA established, and what is it you do?
A: We were established in 2011. We teach preventive carry and other firearms training classes in over 27 states. We’re one of the largest firearms training companies in the country, and we’ve taught over 100,000 since we opened.
Q: In the data packet that was released, it said that men typically represent 66% of concealed carry permits “issued through” your company, but in the time following the Parkland shooting, half of all enrollees have been female. Additionally, the packet states that following Parkland, NCA enrollment among females jumped by 24%. Why do you think that is?
A: I think some people have used this as a motivational event, one that caused them to want to make a tangible difference – and one way that they can do that is by learning how to protect themselves. They may think: “If I can carry a gun to protect myself, my family, or others who I don’t even know from situations like this, it’s a tangible way to make a difference.” I think the Parkland shooting kind of sparked this because it took place at a school.
Q: After the Las Vegas shooting, was there a similar uptick?
A: There was an uptick, but it wasn’t nearly as big. I think the fact that it was at a school – obviously any shooting is a tragedy, but when it happens at a school, it resonates with people because it’s egregious, it gets more people’s attention, and they become righteously angry over it.
Q: Do you think the extended media coverage following Parkland contributed to the uptick in NCA course enrollment?
A: I’m sure it did. Obviously, when you have something being continuously brought up, it’ll be at the forefront of someone’s mind; they’ll continue to think about it, and they’ll become more and more motivated after they’ve had time to ruminate over it.
Q: Do you have anything you’d like to add regarding guns, and concealed carry permits?
A: I think it’s a good thing when more people are receiving firearm training because the more that people know and understand about guns and responsible firearm ownership, the less they’ll be afraid of it.
The Daily Wire would like to thank Chris Schutrop for taking the time to speak with us.
In the wake of the Parkland shooting, misinformation about firearms and responsible firearm ownership was widely disseminated. Pushing back against the false statistics and misleading statements was, and continues to be, deeply frustrating. Fortunately, individuals like Schutrop and those at the NCA are fighting to give average Americans the opportunity to learn the truth about guns and gun ownership in a safe environment.
For more information, visit the National Carry Academy’s official website.