The Rest of the Story: 26 LU students request permits to carry guns on campus

When Liberty University senior Craig Storrs returns from Christmas break, he plans to apply for permission to carry on campus his Bersa .380, a small handgun he owns for self-defense.

If Storrs’ application is approved, he will join the first wave of students packing heat at Liberty.

Since LU announced the new firearms policy in late November, 64 students, faculty and staff have applied for permission to carry guns on campus, according to university officials. Liberty officials would not disclose how many applications had been approved, but said they received requests from 26 students and 38 faculty and staff members by semester’s end.

Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said the new policy has garnered widespread support on campus.

“The complaints have been almost non-existent,” Falwell said. “There were many, many thank-yous from students, faculty and staff … It was an outpouring of gratitude.”

The policy, approved in November by Liberty’s Board of Trustees, replaced a total ban of firearms on university grounds.

Visitors are now permitted to store their weapons in locked cars, while students can apply for permission from campus police to carry a gun on the outdoor grounds or in a locked car. Both groups must have concealed-weapons permits and are prohibited from bringing firearms into any campus building, including dormitories, stadiums and academic halls.

The policy also permits some faculty and staff to carry weapons inside buildings, with permission granted on a case-by-case basis by campus police.

For Storrs, the desire to carry his handgun on campus boils down to personal protection.

 “I have the highest respect for LUPD and their officers, but they can’t be everywhere at every time,” said Storrs, who led the student effort to end Liberty’s firearms ban. “Carrying a concealed weapon is a preventative measure and it’s a deterrent.”

David Corry, Liberty’s general counsel, said the university’s new position on guns aligns with its conservative identity.

“There were a lot of folks who were pleased to see that our weapons policy was consistent with our stance on the Second Amendment,” said Corry, who wrote the policy. 

Col. Richard Hinkley, Liberty’s longtime chief of police, was not made available for comment after repeated inquiries for this story; however he voiced some safety concerns about the policy when it was announced in November.

Hinkley said some officers feared allowing more guns on campus could make it more difficult to identify the “bad guy” in a high stakes situation, such as an attack by an armed gunman. He said the policy could increase the risk of gun-related accidents.

Falwell said the administration has addressed those concerns and added Liberty’s law enforcement officers are now in full support of the policy.

Falwell said the fatal shooting of a Virginia Tech police officer on Dec. 8 reinforced Liberty’s decision to loosen its gun policy.

“I just saw that as an affirmation that the policy needed to be changed,” Falwell said. “I think our policy will help prevent similar incidents at Liberty University.”