Tennessee

Gun safety expert explains Tennessee’s open carry law in detail

Published

3 weeks ago

April 30, 2024

Gun safety expert explains Tennessee’s open carry law in detail

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The mass shooting at a city park in Orange Mound highlighted a problem in Memphis: a lot of people don’t understand what is and is not allowed under Tennessee’s open carry law.

In shocking video after shocking video, young people could be seen walking down the street to a community block party while brandishing giant guns.

”I’ve been in this business for over 40 years. I get anxiety and my law enforcement friends are getting anxiety,” said Bennie Cobb, retired SWAT Team captain with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and owner of Eagle Eye Security and Training Services.

Cobb told Action News 5 that the trend of teens arming themselves to the teeth in public is a troubling one.

“Some of these young people could say they’re exercising their 2A,” he said, “but the gun is most likely stolen if they’re under 18.”

When Governor Bill Lee signed open carry into law, he posted to X: “It shouldn’t be hard for law-abiding Tennesseans to exercise their 2A rights,” with 2A referring to the Second Amendment, which grants Americans the right to bear arms.

In effect since July 1, 2021, Tennessee’s open carry law allows an individual to carry a loaded handgun without a permit. You must be 18 or older, in lawful possession of the gun, and in a place where guns are legally allowed.

Supporters of open carry say the law appeared to be violated in the Orange Mound mass shooting.

”I saw pictures of the guns they were holding,” said Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, “They were not handguns. So, you must be very clear about what we do allow for open carry. It’s a handgun. It’s not an AK-47. It’s not a shotgun. It’s not a long rifle. It’s a handgun. The guns they had at that rally were not open-carry guns.”

Remember the incident where a young man walked through Midtown Memphis with an assault-style rifle last year?

He scared so many people that nearby schools went on lockdown and citizens called the Memphis Police Department to report him. MPD eventually tracked him down at home, and no charges were filed in the case. He admitted to overreacting to a perceived threat to his safety.

Though open carry explicitly covers handguns, other laws already on the books state you can carry a shotgun or rifle, but it must be unloaded and the ammunition cannot be in close proximity to you or your weapon.

The videos are proof, said Cobb. The Wild Wild West has officially arrived in the Mid-South.

“Now the mindset is,” he said, “you approach them with the mindset as if they are armed. Law enforcement is actually doing things differently now. They actually had to be retrained to accept people with guns. Everybody has one.”

Tennessee Republicans tried to pass legislation this session that would change the word “handgun” to “firearm” in the open carry law to allow armed long guns on the street.

But the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security testified that it would cause unnecessary panic, and the effort failed.

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Tennessee

Tennessee professor swept away by wave during Brazil study-abroad trip has died

Published

29 mins ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee professor swept away by wave during Brazil study-abroad trip has died

COLUMBIA, Tenn. — A Tennessee community college professor who was swept away by an ocean wave during a study-abroad trip in Brazil has died, his school said Monday.

Clifford Gordon, associate professor of art, was walking with three students along an oceanside road in Paraty, Brazil, when they stopped to take pictures and a wave struck them, according to Columbia State Community College. The three students were not seriously injured, but Gordon was swept away and Brazilian authorities searched for him, the school said.

Columbia State received confirmation on Monday morning that Gordon’s body was found and positively identified.

“We were heartbroken to hear of this tragic accident,” Janet F. Smith, Columbia State’s president, said in a statement on the school’s website. “We are thankful that no students were seriously injured. Our college family mourns the loss of Clifford, who was a talented artist and greatly loved by his students.”

The school said the study abroad program in Brazil included 12 students from four community colleges across Tennessee.

The students were scheduled to board flights Monday and arrive back in Tennessee on Tuesday, Rick Locker, a spokesperson for the College System of Tennessee, said. They will be offered counseling.

Two of the students who were with Gordon when he was swept away are from Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, while the other attends Walters State Community College in Morristown.

Gordon started working for Columbia State in 2008 as an adjunct professor and then moved to a full-time position in 2013. He also was known for works of collage and painting, which were on display at various exhibitions in the state.

Gordon had traveled to Brazil during many summers, even teaching himself to speak Portuguese, the school said. He had a Bachelor of Science degree in art from Tennessee State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in studio art from the Memphis College of Art.

Paraty is located about 150 miles (241 kilometers) west of the city of Rio de Janeiro.

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Tennessee

Tennessee first SEC team with regular-season titles in men’s basketball, baseball, softball in same season

Published

7 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee first SEC team with regular-season titles in men’s basketball, baseball, softball in same season

Tennessee athletics are sitting on the Rocky Top, indeed.

The Vols have accomplished major history this season, becoming the first SEC school to win the regular season championship in men’s basketball, baseball and softball in the same season. The Lady Vols are the No. 3 seed and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals this weekend in softball, while the baseball team is the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, which kicks off Tuesday in Hoover, Alabama.

REQUIRED READING: Why it’s special for Tennessee softball seniors to lead Lady Vols back to NCAA super regional

Tennessee clinched the men’s basketball regular season championship on March 6 with a road victory over South Carolina, its first outright regular season championship since the 2006-07 season. On May 3, Tennessee softball defeated Kentucky in Knoxville to clinch its second straight SEC regular season title. The Vols went on to lose in the quarterfinals.

Following a sweep of South Carolina over the weekend, Tennessee baseball clinched a share of the SEC regular-season championship with Kentucky. It was the second time in three years the Vols won at least a share of the conference championship. They are the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and are currently projected as a No. 2 national seed in the NCAA Tournament by D1Baseball, entering last weekend.

Here’s a look at how each team performed this season:

Tennessee men’s basketball

Tennessee men’s basketball advanced to the Elite Eight in 2023-24, losing to eventual runner-up Purdue. The Vols have qualified for the NCAA Tournament for four straight seasons under coach Rick Barnes.

Final record: 27-9, 14-4 SEC
Season finish: Lost to Purdue in Elite Eight
SEC regular season titles: 11

Tennessee softball

The Lady Vols won their second straight conference regular season championship and the third in program history, all led by coach Karen Weekly. Tennessee swept through the Knoxville Regional to advance to its 13th Super Regional.

Record: 43-10, 19-5 SEC
SEC regular season titles: Three
WCWS ranking: No. 3 overall seed
Next up: No. 14 seed Alabama in Knoxville Super Regional

Tennessee baseball

Tennessee baseball swept South Carolina, while rival Kentucky dropped its finale to Vanderbilt for the two schools to finish with a share of the regular season championship. The Vols ― led by coach Tony Vitello ― earned the No. 1 seed after taking two of three regular-season games against the Wildcats in Lexington, Kentucky, earlier this season.

Record: 46-10, 22-8 SEC
SEC regular season titles: Five
Next up: Winner of the No. 8-No. 9 matchup in SEC Tournament

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Tennessee

Heartbreak for Tennessee High, falling 5-1 to Gibbs to end their season

Published

14 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Heartbreak for Tennessee High, falling 5-1 to Gibbs to end their season

BRISTOL, Tenn. (WCYB) — Sunday was the final day to punch tickets to Murfreesboro, with Tennessee High softball looking to return to the state tournament with a win over Gibbs.

Spending the Sunday at Rotary Park, it was the Lady Eagles of Gibbs striking first with an RBI-Double from Lacey Keck in the top of the first.

Tennessee High at the plate in the bottom of the inning, the Vikings looked for a spark and it was provided by Addie Wilhoit with a stand-up double.

Unable to move the runners around, the Vikings bac on the field and it would be Carly Compton settling in on the mound and collecting strikeout after strikeout.

Handling business in the top of the inning, it was Compton providing her own run support with a solo shot to even the game up in the bottom of the fourth.

Story of the day was stranded runners as Tennessee High came up short, fighting hard but falling 5-1 to close out their season.

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