Should a database of licensed gun owners be made public?
Hoosiers are asking that question today as politicians talk about gun control laws.
In December, a Connecticut newspaper released a map listing names and addresses of gun permit holders in several New England counties.
Today, New York lawmakers demanded the closure of their state's list.
Indiana legislators closed our database in 2010.
Today we asked people if it should remain closed, or be publically available.
"No, I don't think so. I don't think any more information about people individually needs to be there than already is," says Amy Johnson.
Johnson isn't the only one who thinks Indiana's database of gun permit holders should remain closed to the public.
"I think people are targeted more when they know that they have guns, you know, people that don't have guns target them more. So I just don't think that it should be public," says Kay Brooks.
Indiana State Police Captain Dave Bursten says that's what happened in 2009, when the Indianapolis Star published the database- with names and addresses- of gun permit holders.
"Which upset a number of people that had permits, because they felt that it put them in jeopardy for anybody now to know their address and that they owned a gun and it might increase the chance that they could have their home burglarized," says Bursten.
Lawmakers made the database private the next year.
In Connecticut, a newspaper did the same thing last month after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting- Publishing an interactive map identifying permit holders in the area.
Here in Fort Wayne, the reaction is mixed.
"If you were going to have a name and address and you knew they had a gun, you might think twice before you entered their house, if anyone was up to no good," says Johnson.
"Like I say, you know, guns and things like that, people watch out for them. My dad even has a gun. But he puts it up, kids know where it is, but they ain't going to mess with it," says Robert Ecenbarger.
"I would definitely look and it would make me think twice about me letting my kids play at certain people's homes," says Marques Haney.
"So, if you want to make it public who has a license, I'm not exactly sure if that's going to tell you the kind of information you're looking for, because if you want a gun, you have a gun, and it doesn't really matter if you have a license or not," says Angela Whang.
None of the people I talked to owned guns.
Several said they either had friends for family who did, and were fine with other people having them.
Most people say they're waiting to see what gun control bills are introduced into congress in the next few weeks.
Hoosiers are asking that question today as politicians talk about gun control laws.
In December, a Connecticut newspaper released a map listing names and addresses of gun permit holders in several New England counties.
Today, New York lawmakers demanded the closure of their state's list.
Indiana legislators closed our database in 2010.
Today we asked people if it should remain closed, or be publically available.
"No, I don't think so. I don't think any more information about people individually needs to be there than already is," says Amy Johnson.
Johnson isn't the only one who thinks Indiana's database of gun permit holders should remain closed to the public.
"I think people are targeted more when they know that they have guns, you know, people that don't have guns target them more. So I just don't think that it should be public," says Kay Brooks.
Indiana State Police Captain Dave Bursten says that's what happened in 2009, when the Indianapolis Star published the database- with names and addresses- of gun permit holders.
"Which upset a number of people that had permits, because they felt that it put them in jeopardy for anybody now to know their address and that they owned a gun and it might increase the chance that they could have their home burglarized," says Bursten.
Lawmakers made the database private the next year.
In Connecticut, a newspaper did the same thing last month after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting- Publishing an interactive map identifying permit holders in the area.
Here in Fort Wayne, the reaction is mixed.
"If you were going to have a name and address and you knew they had a gun, you might think twice before you entered their house, if anyone was up to no good," says Johnson.
"Like I say, you know, guns and things like that, people watch out for them. My dad even has a gun. But he puts it up, kids know where it is, but they ain't going to mess with it," says Robert Ecenbarger.
"I would definitely look and it would make me think twice about me letting my kids play at certain people's homes," says Marques Haney.
"So, if you want to make it public who has a license, I'm not exactly sure if that's going to tell you the kind of information you're looking for, because if you want a gun, you have a gun, and it doesn't really matter if you have a license or not," says Angela Whang.
None of the people I talked to owned guns.
Several said they either had friends for family who did, and were fine with other people having them.
Most people say they're waiting to see what gun control bills are introduced into congress in the next few weeks.
