Mother of slain teen lobbies to kill Oklahoma gun bills

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A Lawton woman whose 19-year-old son was shot and killed in 2009 is among a group of mothers who urged legislators Wednesday to defeat a bill that would allow people to carry guns in public with no training or background checks.

Kari Wahnee's son Bradley, a sophomore at Oklahoma City University, was caught in the crossfire during a gang-related, drive-by shooting that remains unsolved.

Wahnee is a member of the Oklahoma chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, one of several groups and institutions opposed to that gun bill and a separate one pending in the Legislature.

"My concern is the danger involved with the number of guns that will be on the streets," Wahnee said. I believe in the 2nd Amendment and the right people have to protect themselves, but people should have background checks, and I'm a strong believer in training."

One dubbed constitutional carry would allow adults over 21 without a felony conviction to openly carry loaded handguns in public without any license, background check or training. Oklahoma residents currently can carry guns openly or concealed but must first obtain a license that includes a fingerprint check and mandatory firearms training.

A separate measure that's being supported by the National Rifle Association seeks a statewide public vote on whether to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to make it more difficult for the Legislature to regulate firearms and to prohibit laws requiring registration or special taxation of firearms or ammunition.

Both measures are pending in legislative conference committees but so far do not have enough signatures from members for a full hearing in the House and Senate.

Both bills are facing opposition from hospitals, colleges and the state's business community, including the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, who voiced concern they could jeopardize existing gun bans.

Broken Arrow Republican Sen. Nathan Dahm has said those fears are overblown and that existing bans on firearms would remain in place under his proposed constitutional amendment.

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Online:

House Bill 3098: http://bit.ly/1RaxiDI

House Joint Resolution 1009: http://bit.ly/1ROKAHp

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SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
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The Gayly - 5/11/2016 @ 4:46 p.m.