Arkansas’ concealed carry laws have faced criticism following a recent shooting that resulted in the death of a grocery store worker. The attack, in which a shotgun was used, has shed light on the state’s constitutional carry policy, which requires no permit to carry a handgun for self-defense.
Cellphone footage from the incident appears to show the attacker standing in the parking lot wielding a pump shotgun. Law enforcement sources confirm the attacker used a shotgun. The Arkansas Advocate, part of States Newsroom news group, has criticized the state’s laws, but failed to elucidate the connection between handgun laws and shotgun-carrying assailants who attack in cold blood.
Furthermore, The Arkansas Advocate did not mention the benefits of armed defense, which could potentially spare lives in similar scenarios. Handguns are often used to deter or defend against shooters wielding shotguns.
Notably, Arkansas’ average of 638 gun deaths annually is roughly two thirds lower than California’s annual gun-related death count. According to data by Hope and Heal Fund and Romo GIS Enterprise, California reported approximately 1,800 gun deaths in 2021 and 1,700 in 2022.
