County officials fear concealed weapons bill

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, June 2, 1999 | 10:53 a.m.

Any doubts that a shooting rampage can occur in a public place quickly vanished in April when people nationwide were stunned by the student gunmen who killed 13 at Columbine High School in Colorado.

The shooting prompted several copycat incidences, proving that violence in public places has become reality.

Clark County Commissioner Myrna Williams, however, made that realization nearly a decade ago when a gunman was arrested hours after threatening her life.

Williams and most of her fellow county board members were unnerved to learn Tuesday that an Assembly bill allowing concealed weapons inside all public buildings except schools and airports had been passed on to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Assembly Bill 166 has a provision allowing local governments to put up signs prohibiting concealed weapons in their buildings, and Williams and Commissioner Erin Kenny urged county staff to do just that if Guinn chooses to sign the bill.

County officials plan to follow the commissioners' request, despite board member and former Metro Police Officer Lance Malone's opinion that signs will not stop people if their intent is to harm somebody. Williams said that when she was a state Assemblywoman working to deliver Southern Nevada its fair share of sales taxes, a Washoe County resident upset that his area could lose $10 million threatened Williams.

Williams said state troopers captured the man near her Carson City office and discovered he was carrying a gun.

"Most people who come in and have issues (with elected officials) are not criminals, they're emotional," Williams said. "Signs won't stop people, but they might bring them to their senses."