Law enforcement and gun control advocates react to new loosened gun law in NC

As of Wednesday afternoon, a handgun permit is no longer required in North Carolina.

Many individuals, including gun shop owners and local sheriffs, are responding to the new law that took effect immediately.

"This is a great day for the state of NC and the 2nd amendment. We are so grateful this is happening," said Clay Ausley, Owner of Fuquay Gun.

Ausley said the shop does an immediate background check with the exact National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) their sheriff department uses.

"When you come in now and buy a firearm, we do that background check now," said Ausley. "We know, as of a few hours ago, you are not a convicted felon."

Audley believes this system is better because our clients do not have to come to the store, pick out a gun, go to the sheriff's department, get a permit, and return with that permit; it saves so much hassle.

While Republicans have said the sheriff screening process to buy a pistol is no longer necessary considering significant updates to the national background check system, Democrats warned that without it, criminals and people with mental illnesses could more easily obtain weapons.

"In some counties, a person can walk in the sheriff's dept and apply for a pistol permit and leave in minutes with permits in hand," said Audley. "Other counties, they go in apply for permits, and it takes weeks or even months to get the same permits to have the same process done."

Some in the community have concerns about firearms getting into the wrong hands. Sheriff Charles Blackwood, Orange County Sheriff's Office, says he is unsure if the new law will benefit when it comes to that.

"Guns are getting into the wrong hands and have been for a long time," Blackwood said. "I do not know if it will make a huge difference there."

Blackwood said people coming to him to get pistol permits are not folks committing crimes with guns.

"It is the folks out there stealing the guns and stealing from responsible owners who are committing the crime," said Blackwood.

Blackwood added if a person is going to buy a handgun today, they still have to have a background check through the FBI. It is an instant NICS check used for every long gun that's been bought for years.

The North Carolina bill also will allow guns on some school properties where religious services are held, effective Dec. 1. The school targeted in Nashville was a small Christian school.

Others oppose the recent gun law change, including Sheriff Clarence Birkhead, Durham County Sheriff's Office.

"Look at what happened in Nashville and what a tragedy that is; this is not a time for us to be making it easier to get guns," said Birkhead. "This is a time for us to be making it tougher, to continue the background checks, to institute universal background checks."