Concealed carry is legal on college campuses in Indiana; it is up to the school to decide. No college or university in Indiana allows for concealed carry.
Ball State Weapons Policy:
Faculty, Professional Personnel and Staff employees of Ball State University, students, visitors, guests and all other individuals are prohibited from possessing or carrying weapons of any kind while on University property, regardless of whether they are licensed to carry the weapon or not. Such prohibition extends to such individuals having such weapons in briefcases, purses, tool boxes, personal vehicles or other personal property or effects.
Source: Student Code
A group of students are bringing their holsters to campus this week -- but not their guns.
This week is the annual Empty Holster Protest week for Students for Concealed Carry, a national organization dedicated to allowing students to use their concealed carry permits on college campuses.
Ball State’s chapter of the group is participating; a few students are wearing their holsters with nothing in it, to demonstrate how they are not allowed to carry their firearms on campus.
President of the Ball State chapter junior David Vest said a few of his professors asked about his empty holster, and they got some attention on the app Yik Yak on Monday.
“A lot of people just give you the weird look and walk farther away from you,” he said. “Some [of the group members] wanted to put flyers in our holsters but nothing goes in it. We don’t want someone to think there is anything possibly in there.”
The group had to warn University Police Department in case of any confusion.
Students for Concealed Carry is still waiting on approval from the Office of Student Life so they can pass out flyers and hold meetings, so the group is relying on word of mouth and social media posts to get the word out about the protest this week and their group.
Vest said he hopes the empty holsters will spark discussion about their issue on campus, whether students are for it or against it.
“It’s worse if people don’t have an opinion because nothing gets talked about, nothing gets improved,” he said. “Part of the reason we have laws we don’t like [such as] RFRA, people say they don’t have an opinion [at the voting booth] and that’s what led to this.”
Local gun store McGalliard Guns and More donated holsters so anyone who doesn’t carry a gun and thus have a holster can participate as well.
Store owner Jeff Burke said many college students buy guns and ammunition at his store, so he wanted to support the group and encourage responsible gun ownership.
“If you are going to carry a gun on your possession it has to be somehow fixed to your body. If it’s tucked down in your pocket and you go to pull that gun out, it could go off,” Burke said. “You need to wear it in a manner that is not only comfortable, but safe.”
Sophomore physical education major, Kyle Tobeck, is participating in the empty holster protest for the first time. He is a Marine Corp veteran and did five years of active duty.
Tobeck said he feels naked when he does not carry his firearm, like leaving his wallet at home.
He considers himself an advocate for firearm safety and just wants to raise awareness this week.
“I am constantly telling my friends, if they want to learn how to use a firearm they are always free to come talk to me about it,” Tobeck said. “A lot of people they are more ignorant on firearms and they just think they are scary because they don’t know anything about them. I just want to let people know firearms aren’t scary. It’s a tool that can do a lot of damage but it’s only a tool.”
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