PERMITS WERE ISSUED. >> I'M DAVID CRABTREE, THANKS FOR JOINING US. WHAT A YEAR 2020 TURNED OUT TO BE, 2021 HAS YET TO PROVE IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS TO BE MUCH DIFFERENT. IN 2020, WE SAW PANDEMIC, DIVISIVENESS, RIGHTS, AND MORE THAN 60,000 PEOPLE IN THE TRIANGLE SEEKING A PERMIT TO BUY A GUN. TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK INTO THE SURGE IN GUN PERMITS, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ONE STATISTIC ALONE. WAKE COUNTY SITE 373% INCREASE IN THE PAST YEAR. BEFORE WE BEGIN THIS DISCUSSION, HERE IS MORE ON THE BACKGROUND FROM KIERSTEN GUTIERREZ. >> FROM RIFLES TO SHOTGUNS, PISTOLS, PEPPER SPRAY, AR 15'S, AND AMMUNITION. >> THIS IS BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. >> AND STOREOWNERS TELL US ANYTHING THAT CAN BE USED TO DEFENSE ONE HOME IS FLYING OFF THE SHELVES. >> 2020 WITH AN ABSOLUTE WHIRLWIND. WE SAW A LITTLE OVER 300% INCREASE IN 2020 OVER 2019. >> NEARLY 58,000 PISTOL PURCHASE PERMITS WERE ISSUED THAT IS MORE REQUESTS IN THE PRIOR THREE YEARS COMBINED. >> WITH ALL OF THE UNREST IN THE COUNTRY AND ALL OF THE DIVISIVENESS, THE POLITICAL PARTIES AND STUFF, I AM NOT SURPRISED. PEOPLE FEEL THE NEED TO HAVE PERSONAL PROTECTION. >> SHERIFF'S OFFICE SANS ADDITIONAL UPTICK IN PERMITS FOLLOWING THE DC RIGHTS. >> WE STAY OPEN LATE THREE NIGHTS A WEEK TRYING TO CONTAIN SEX >> SOME OF THE PERMITS ISSUED IS ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING SOLD ACROSS THE COUNTY. >> THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE TO GET PERMITS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT TO PURCHASE AN AR, YOU JUST HAVE TO GO IN WITH YOUR I.D. AND HAVE A FEDERAL BACKGROUND CHECK. >> THAT WAS KIERSTEN GUTIERREZ, AND WITH US TONIGHT, THE SHERIFF WHOSE OFFICE OVERSEES THE SHOWING OF PERMITS AND CLAY HONESTLY, THE OWNER OF A GUN STORY SAW BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN IN THE REPORT, CLAY I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH YOU IF WE COULD. YOU AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER OVER THE YEARS. WE'VE SPOKEN VERY OPENLY AND VERY FRIENDLY ABOUT ISSUES OF GUN CONTROL, ABOUT ISSUES OF PEOPLE WANTING TO HAVE A FIREARM, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT TO HELP EDUCATE ME. YOU WANTED TO TALK WITH ME AFTER THIS REPORT FIRST AIRED TO HELP ME VETTER UNDERSTAND WHY THESE NUMBERS ARE UP. SO GIVE US A QUICK TUTORIAL HERE. >> OKAY. IT TRULY, ACTUALLY STARTED IN 2019. IN VIRGINIA, THAT WAS LEGISLATION THERE WERE TRYING TO GET PAST THAT WOULD RESTRICT FIREARMS. THAT MADE A GUNMEN IN VIRGINIA THE LAST HALF OF 2019. WHICH IS A MAJOR DENT INTO THE SUPPLY OF AMMUNITION AND FIREARMS. BECAUSE THEY LITERALLY HAVE BEEN AT THIS SINCE MID 19 IN VIRGINIA. WE GOT INTO JANUARY AND FEBRUARY WHEN WE WERE GETTING TO TALK ABOUT COVID-19, THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS TRYING TO PLAY PLACED LEHMANN WHO BROUGHT IT OVER. THAT SCARED A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO BUYING FIREARMS TO PROTECT OURSELVES. WE GOT OUT OF THAT, WE GOT INTO THE SOCIAL UNREST. PEOPLE THE NEEDED GUNS TO DEFEND THE BUSINESSES OR THEY WERE JUST SCARED OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN AREAS. IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR, EVERY ELECTION YEAR, FIREARMS SALES AND AMMUNITION ARE ALWAYS UP ELECTION YEARS. WE EXPECT IT, IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE SHOW WE HAD REMINGTON GO BANKRUPT. THAT HAS CAUSED DISRUPTION IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN AS WELL. THE NUMBER FOR THE COUNTRY, NEW SHOOTERS, 2020. THESE ARE NEW TO THE INDUSTRY CUSTOMERS, THEY HAVE NEVER OWNED A GUN. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 8 MILLION NEW GUNOWNERS IN 2020. NOW, IF EACH ONE OF THOSE GUN CUSTOMERS GOT TWO BOXES OF AMMO WITH THEIR PURCHASE, NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 16 MILLION BOXES OF AMMO, THAT IS 800 MILLION ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION. ALL OF THESE NUMBERS EQUAL A WHOLE LOT OF GUNS GOING OUT THE DOOR, IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL CUSTOMERS WE HAVE A REGULAR CLIENT BASE. WOULD JUST HAVE GOT A WHOLE LOT OF NEW CUSTOMERS BUYING FOR THEIR OWN SET OF REASON. >> WHEN SOMEONE WALKS INTO YOUR SHOP, AND THEY HAVE NEVER OWNED A FIREARM, WHAT DID THEY SAY TO YOU? HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THEM? >> WOW, MANY TIMES THEY COME IN AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ADVICE. THEY TELL US WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. I'M HERE TO DEFEND MY HOME, MY BUSINESS, AND WE TRY TO LEAN THEM TOWARD THE CORRECT FIREARM FOR THEIR NEEDS. FOR THEM TO TAKE HOME WITH THEM. >> HOW DO YOU QUALIFY WHAT YOU THINK SOMEONE ONCE, IF I WOULD WALK IN I WOULD -- I'VE NEVER OWNED A FIREARM. ARE YOU GOING TO ASK ME ABOUT THE REASON FOR IT AND ENCOURAGE ME TO LEARN WHAT TO DO WITH THAT WEAPON? >> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. A FIREARM IS JUST LIKE A SPARE TIRE. IT IS NOT DOING YOU ANY GOOD IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT THAT SPARE TIRE ON YOUR CAR. A FIREARM IS NOT DOING YOU ANY GOOD IF YOU DON'T TRAIN AND KNOW HOW TO USE IT. DEVELOP MUSCLE MEMORY AND REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE THAT GUN. IT IS THE ONLY WAY IT WILL BE A GOOD TOOL FOR YOU. SO YES, WE DO TAKE THE CUSTOMER IN, WE ASKED THEM SOME QUALIFYING QUESTIONS OF THEY HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH FIREARMS AND TRY TO FIGURE WHAT GUN WILL BEST FIT NOT ONLY THE NEED THEY HAVE FOR THE GUN, BUT THEIR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE FIREARM AS WELL. AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO THROUGH ONE OF THE CLASSES AS WELL. AND WHERE BIG PROPONENTS OF CONCEALED CARRY, WE TRY TO GET EVERYONE TO TAKE CONCEALED CARRY. IT'S JUST A GOOD IDEA. MUCH LIKE THAT SPARE TIRE, FIREARM IS NOT DOING YOU ANY GOOD IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT WITH YOU, THE SAME AS A SPARE TIRE. IF IT IS NOT IN YOUR CAR YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE DONE ANY GOOD. >> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK. I WANT TO SHOW YOU A PICTURE THAT CAME INTO US, WE'RE TAPING THIS PROGRAM ON THURSDAY EVENING. THIS WAS THE LINE OUTSIDE TODAY TO GET INTO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR PERMITS TO BUY A FIREARM. IT LOOKS LIKE A LINE WAITING ON A VACCINE FOR COVID-19. WILL BE BACK TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN JUST A MOMENT. >> WELCOME BACK, WE ARE "ON THE RECORD" TONIGHT TALKING ABOUT GUN SALES IN THE TRIANGLE, HOW THEY HAVE TRIPLED OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO. AND THE REASONS BEHIND IT. OUR GUESTS ARE THE OWNER OF A GUN SHOP, AND SHERIFF. ANYTHING HE SAID THERE TONIGHT THAT SURPRISE YOU? >> NOT AT ALL. LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS HERE, IT EQUATES TO THOSE NUMBERS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PERMITS THAT A BEEN ISSUED. JUST THIS YEAR ALONE. >> YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO SEE IT AS WE WENT TO BREAK BUT WE DID SHOW THE PICTURE FROM THIS MORNING OF THE LINE AROUND THE COURTHOUSE WAITING TO GET INTO YOUR OFFICE TO TRY TO GET A PERMIT, IS THAT LINE THE SAME MOST EVERY DAY? >> I WOULD SAY TODAY IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE INVOLVED, GIVEN THAT WE WERE CLOSE LAST TWO DAYS ON THE COUNTY DECISION TO CLOSE DUE TO THE ANTICIPATION OF THE UNREST FROM THE ELECTION AND WHAT WE SAW ON THE CAPITOL LAST WEEK. THOSE THINGS WERE SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THROUGH THE COUNTRY, SO ROLLIE AND WAKE COUNTY WE HAD OPERATIONAL PLANS TO BE IN A POSITION TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT. >> YOU WERE QUOTED RECENTLY AS SAYING WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED AND THE DESIRE, WE UNDERSTAND THE FEAR THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE DUE TO THE UNREST AND THE PROTEST. DO YOU SEE THIS DESIRE SLACKING OFF ANYTIME SOON? >> I DON'T. IF IT DOES, WILL BE BECAUSE OF THOSE WHO AGAIN HAVE THAT DESIRE FOR PERSONAL SAFETY AND THING LIKE THAT. THEY ARE FEARFUL OF ALL THE THINGS GOING ON. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, BUT 60,000 PEOPLE HERE. THERE ARE OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE HERE. SO THOSE WHO HAVE INTEREST IN OBTAINING THOSE FOR PURCHASE, THEY'RE DOING SO. AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE WE WERE SWAMPED. BUT IT IS LEVELING OFF, BUT IT IS STEADY. THE URGENCY, I WOULD SAY IS NOT AS GREAT AS IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CLAY MENTIONED, WITH ALL OF THE UNREST. THERE WERE A LOT OF REASONS FOR PEOPLE WANTING THEM PRETTY QUICK. AGAIN, IT WAS A CHALLENGE. SOMETHING THIS COUNTY OR ANY OTHER COUNTY HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE DEMAND. AND THE NUMBERS SHOW IT. >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO CLAY FOR A MOMENT. I KNOW THE NAME OF YOUR COMPANY , MY APOLOGIES FOR GOING WITH THE ALLITERATION. YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW? >> 17 YEARS. >> YES SIR. >> YOU TALK ABOUT FOR EVERY FIREARM SOLD, COUPLE OF BOXES OF AMMUNITION SOLD AS WELL. YOU SAID 8 MILLION FIGURE NATIONWIDE, BUT AS WE JUST HEARD THE SHERIFF TALK ABOUT, SOME 60,000 HERE AND WAKE COUNTY. YOU'RE TALKING 120,000 BOXES OF AMMUNITION, MORE THAN LIKELY BEING SOLD AS WELL, RIGHT? >> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. AND HIS NUMBER, THE NUMBER OF AMMUNITION GOES ALONG WITH CONCEALED CARRY. THE FOLKS HAVE CONCEALED CARRY WHEN THEY ARE BUYING THEIR FIREARM, THERE'S NOT A PERMIT ISSUED FOR THAT PURCHASE. SO THAT IS MORE AMMUNITION AND FIREARMS THAT ARE BEING SOLD THAT ARE ACTUALLY NOT IN THAT NUMBER SHERIFF BAKER SHARED. >> DO YOU THINK, ARE YOU EXPERIENCING ANY DROP OFF IN SALES RIGHT NOW? >> I STUDY NUMBERS PRETTY HARD, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. AND I SAW A VERY, VERY SLIGHT TREND DOWNWARD. UNTIL THE WASHINGTON INCIDENT, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THINGS POPPED OFF AGAIN. AND IT WENT WIDE OPEN JUST AS IT WAS BACK IN MARCH. >> YOU ARE SELLING OTHER THINGS AS WELL FOR PERSONAL PROTECTION THAN JUST GUNS AND FIREARMS, ARE YOU NOT? >> ABSOLUTELY. FOLKS COME IN ALL THE TIME IF THEY ARE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT A FIREARM OR NOT SURE, WE ACTUALLY LEAVE THEM AWAY FROM A FIREARM AND TRY TO GET THEM TO LEAVE WITH SOME OTHER PERSONAL PROTECTION DEVICES. WE'VE GOT PEPPER SPRAYS AND BEAR SPRAY, AND STUN GUNS THAT TYPE OF STUFF. THAT WILL HELP THEM IN A HOME DEFENSE SCENARIO AS WELL. >> YOU TOLD ME WHEN WE WERE TALKING LAST WEEK THAT WHILE PEPPER SPRAYS A GOOD THING, THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY RESPOND DIFFERENTLY TO BEING HIT WITH PEPPER SPRAY, MAY BE ABLE TO REGAIN COMPOSURE, IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST WEAPON TO HAVE. >> ABSOLUTELY. A LOT OF FOLKS NEED REACTION TENDED BY THE CHEAPEST PEPPER SPRAY THEY CAN BUY. THE CHEAPER YOU GET, THE LESS OF THE GOOD STUFF IN THE PEPPER SPRAY YOU'RE GETTING. AND IT IS LESS LIKELY TO STICK TO THE PERSON YOU'RE SPRAYING IT ON AS WELL. SO WE OFFER BEAR SPRAY FOR THOSE TYPES OF SCENARIOS. IT REACHES A LITTLE FURTHER, IT COMES IN A BIGGER CAN, AND IT IS MORE POTENT. WILL TYPICALLY TAKE DOWN PRETTY WELL ANYBODY YOU NEED TO SUBDUE FOR A LITTLE BIT, THEY WILL BE SUBDUED IF YOU SPRAY THEM WITH BEAR SPRAY. >> SHERIFF BAKER, WHEN YOU HEAR THE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE BUYING MORE THINGS LIKE PEPPER SPRAY, BEAR SPRAY, EVEN HAD SOMEBODY TELL ME ONE TIME I SHOULD TRY WASP SPRAY BECAUSE IT STICKS TO THE PERSON, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? >> YOU KNOW, THAT -- WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF WE THAT IS NOT OUR LINE. THOSE THINGS ARE EFFECTIVE AS WELL. AND AGAIN WE ARE AT A PLACE, NOT A TIME WHERE SELF-DEFENSE IS TOP-OF-THE-LINE OF PEOPLE'S LISTS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL HELP YOU IN PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY. IN THE EVENT OF A HOME INVASION OR SOMEONE BREAKING IN YOUR HOME AT NIGHT. BUT, THAT IS OUTSIDE OF MY REALM. WE HAVE PEPPER SPRAY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT WE USE. IN TERMS OF ADVOCATING AND SUGGESTING IT, WE LEAVE THAT TO THE GUN DEALERS. IT IS SOMETHING WE DON'T OFFER. >> GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER BREAK NOW, WHEN WE COME BACK, I WANT BOTH OF YOU TO WALK US THROUGH THE CONCEALED CARRY PROCESS, WHAT A PERSON HAS TO DO TO BE ABLE TO BE QUALIFIED HAVE A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT AND WHY YOU THINK THE NEED FOR THAT WILL BE RIGHT BACK. >> WELCOME BACK WE ARE "ON THE RECORD" TONIGHT. TALKING ABOUT THE PERMITS IN NORTH CAROLINA. A LONGTIME OWNER OF A GUN SHOP, HE HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS 17 YEARS. BEFORE THE BREAK, SAID HE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT. WE DID SO MANY STORIES ON THIS A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE PERMITS WERE UP. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS STILL VERY HIGH. CLAY, IF I WANTED TO CARRY A FIREARM CONCEALED, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? AND DO I BEGIN WITH A COURSE? I KNOW THAT YOUR COMPANY OFFERS. >> YES SIR. THAT IS EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO STAR TREK COME IN AND TALK WITH OUR GEYSER JUMP ON LINE TO SIGN UP FOR A TWO. YOU WILL SPEND EIGHT HOURS STATE MANDATED, IT HAS TO BE EIGHT HOURS OF CLASS TIME. THAT INCLUDES RANGE TIME AS WELL. YOU HAVE TO PASS A WRITTEN TEST AFTER YOUR INSTRUCTION, AND YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PASS QUALIFICATION ROUNDS AS WELL. AT THREE, FIVE, AND SEVEN YARDS. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE PROFICIENT WITH A FIREARM BEFORE THEY RELEASE YOU AND GIVE YOU A CERTIFICATE. WE ACTUALLY TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER, STATE LAW MANDATES THAT THEY BE ABLE TO HIT A BE 27 TARGET, WHICH IS A PAPER TARGET THAT IS A LIFELIKE SIZE OF A PERSON. WE TAKE AN EIGHT INCH PLATE AND PUT IT IN THE CENTER OF THAT TARGET, AND IF YOU CANNOT HIT THAT EIGHT INCH PLATE FOR US, WE WILL NOT PASS YOU. SO WE ACTUALLY TAKE IT TO A PRETTY GOOD EXTREME OVER STATE REGULATIONS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH OUR CLASS. WE WENT WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND. WHAT WAS REQUIRED. SO WE GIVE THEM THE CERTIFICATE, THEY TAKE THE CERTIFICATE TO THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT, WHERE THEY APPLY FOR THE PERMIT. THEY GIVE THEM THE CERTIFICATE, THEY'VE TAKEN THE COURSE AND ARE QUALIFIED. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK ON THEM, FINGERPRINTS, AND ISSUES THEM A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT. IF THEY PASS THE BACKGROUND CHECK. >> DOES ANYONE EVER FAILURE COURSE? >> ABSOLUTELY, YES SIR. THEY FAIL FOR BOTH REASONS, WHETHER IT IS COULD NOT PASS THE WRITTEN PART OF THE COURSE, OR WHETHER IT IS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT PASS THE SHOOTING PART OF THE COURSE. >> SHERIFF BAKER, HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU IN THESE COURSES? >> VERY CONFIDENT. BEING TAUGHT BY SOME OF THE BEST IN THIS AREA, IN 2019, THE WAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 10,039 REQUESTS FOR CONCEALED PERMITS. IN 2020, WE RECEIVED 15,579 CARRY CONCEALED PERMIT REQUEST. IN ORDER TO -- NATURALIZED CITIZEN, 21 YEARS OF AGE, MUST OBTAIN HAVE AT LEAST ONE MONTH OF RESIDENTS HERE IN THE COUNTY. MEDICAL, PHYSICAL INFIRMITIES OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM SAFELY OPERATING A WEAPON. SO, IT'S QUITE EXTENSIVE. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE POSTED ON A WEBSITE TO LET A PERSON KNOW WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A PERMIT. >> AND FULL DISCLOSURE, I WILL SAY THAT IF YOU YEARS AGO I TOOK A CONCEALED CARRY COURSE, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW AND HAD TO LEARN. CLAY, YOU ARE NOT THE INSTRUCTOR, BUT IT WAS THROUGH YOUR COMPANY THAT I TOOK THAT COURSE, AND THE THING THAT STUCK WITH ME, I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING, WAS THAT IF I WENT ON THROUGH THE PROCESS, WHICH I NEVER DID TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE PERMIT. AND FOR WHATEVER REASON WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO TELL THAT OFFICER COMING TO MY CAR AS I HAVE A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT, THERE IS OR IS NOT A WEAPON IN MY CAR. THAT IS STILL, I WOULD THINK SOMETHING MAJOR THAT IS TAUGHT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHEN I TOLD YOU, ABOUT A WEEK AGO, THAT EVEN THOUGH I TOOK THE COURSE AND PASS IT, THAT I DECIDED NOT TO BUY A FIREARM, IT SURPRISED YOU A LITTLE BIT. >> S. THERE ARE SOME THAT GO THROUGH AND PROCRASTINATE ON TURNING THE PAPERWORK IN, BUT MOST OF THE TIME, MOST PEOPLE HAVE INTENTIONS ON GOING TO GET IT. SO I'M A LITTLE THROWN OFF WHEN FOLKS TAKE THE CLASS AND DON'T ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH AND GET THE CONCEALED CARRY. BUT WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE CLASS JUST TO LEARN WHAT THE LAWS ARE. AND TO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT LETTING LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOW YOU HAVE A FIREARM, THAT IS, THEY PUSH IT IN THE CLASS VERY STRONG. ANY INTERACTION YOU HAVE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU DON'T NEED TO REACH FOR A FIREARM OR SHOW THEM YOUR GUN, YOU JUST NEED TO TELL THEM AND THEY WILL INSTRUCT YOU OF WHAT TO DO AFTER THAT. OFFICER, I HAVE GOT A VALID CONCEALED CARRY AND I HAVE A FIREARM ON ME, AND THEN LET, SOME MADE TELL YOU DON'T TOUCH THE FIREARM. JUST FOLLOWING THOSE ORDERS OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, 99% OF THE TIME WILL MAKE EVERYTHING GO REAL SMOOTH AND NO PROBLEM. >> VERY QUICKLY HERE, WHEN I TOOK THE COURSE, I AM NO SPRING CHICKEN. BUT I WAS NOT THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THERE, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL WOMEN, COUPLE OF WOMEN WHO ARE OLDER THAN I AM. IT WAS JUST A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT I WASN'T NECESSARILY EXPECTING. SO, CLAY, BOTH TO YOU AND SHERIFF AKER, IT IS NO SURPRISE TO YOU THE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND NO MATTER THE GENDER, WANT TO TAKE THIS COURSE. CLAY, I WILL STAR WITH YOU. >> ABSOLUTELY NO SURPRISE. YOU TURN ON THE NEWS, AND ANY NEWS CHANNEL YOU WATCH, THERE IS STUFF TO SCARE YOU. YOU SEE WHAT IS GOING ON ON THE WORLD. ABSOLUTELY, THE OLDER GENERATION ARE TRYING TO GET FIREARMS TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES TO PROTECT THEIR SELVES, NOBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. IT IS A VERY TENSE SOCIETY, A VERY OFFENDED SOCIETY. AND MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET FIREARMS SO THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR SELVES NO MATTER THE AGE, NO MATTER THE OR RACE, WITH WHAT ONE ON IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH, THERE WERE A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS THE WATCHED THE BUSINESSES DESTROYED. >> WOULD HAVE TO INTERRUPT, SORRY. SHERIFF BAKER, ABOUT 30 SECONDS, FOR SOMEONE THINKING ABOUT THIS, WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THEM? >> BEING PREPARED, AND BEING RESPONSIBLE. UNDERSTANDING THE LAW BEHIND THE USE OF FORCE AND THE USE OF FORCE ITSELF, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONE DOES THAT MEAN YOU PULL IT OUT AND SHOOT SOMEONE. BECAUSE YOU ARE UPSET OR DON'T AGREE WITH THEM. THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT THAN JUST BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE ONE AND OWN ONE. >> SHERIFF GERALD BAKER, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. TO CLAY, WE APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHT AND WE WILL BE RIGHT