Students received a bit of a scare when a man legally carrying a gun was spotted on Rosenberry Drive.
“Nothing happened on campus but it was definitely a proximity issue,” said Security Officer Patrick Murray.
Witnesses taking classes in the Seiter Hall on September 22 spotted the man, who had a “large pistol” holstered on his hip, as he exited a vehicle and begin walking in the direction of downtown Coeur d’Alene.
Coeur d’Alene police officers immediately responded, and checked the man’s car, where they found ammunition.
The man, who was later found by authorities in the city park, actually broke no laws.
“He was openly displaying [the gun], although you don’t see it much, it was perfectly legal,” Murray said.
In the state of Idaho, individuals are only required to have permits for concealed weapons, with guns that are openly displayed having minimal restrictions on city properties, such as Rosenberry Drive.
However, Murray said that both open and concealed carry remain strictly prohibited on all of North Idaho College’s property.
“Had he come down to the campus or gone down to the beach, we would have had a problem,” Murray said.
Compounding the tension was the fact that the campus was on on high alert after a former student had made veiled threats toward a disability counselor.
“With everything going on with Budig [the individual that made the threats], it was a little heightened, and police were here in no time,” Murray said. “Timing’s everything.”
Murray said the one good thing was that the incident took place on a late Friday afternoon when few classes were held on campus.
John Nelson
October 3, 2012 at 10:56 am
The incident, the incident, there was no incident, it was the panty waist, wailing unsubstantiated fear by the few depends adult diaper wearing girly girls of the insane anti gun extremists who try every pathetic and lame propaganda demonization they can of their mythical boogeyman, the law abiding gun owners.
Stuart Stephen Strickler
October 3, 2012 at 1:21 pm
What is with you pantie wetters? This man broke no laws! If the sight of a firearm frightens someone, tough sh*t!
Tony Heaton
October 3, 2012 at 2:07 pm
There are only two ways in which firearms give me pause. The first is if someone is shooting at me and the other is if it is being carried by a cop.
Marc Perez
October 3, 2012 at 8:21 pm
What he did was legal, it shoud be a non-issue and a non-news story. Read the newspaper headlines… that is frightful, yet no one questions first amendment right!
Mel Hoover
October 5, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Tried to read the story, however couldnt open the page
Chuck Peterson
October 3, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Bet the sissies that got scared came from out of state. Maybe best they go back home.
Jacque Carter
October 4, 2012 at 1:52 am
For those of you who seem upset about the response made by students and authorities, you must not know what had been going on at NIC the weeks previous. Everyone was just a little bit tense about things so as a precaution the response was made. We just want to be safe.
Robert Ries
October 4, 2012 at 4:06 am
Might not be a problem if legal-age students had their right to access to self-defense tools on campus restored. Schools should not be allowed to restrict Constitutional Rights. This would appear to be self-evident, but it appears that stupidity is now institutional….
Robert Ries
October 4, 2012 at 4:07 am
P.S. "Safety" is not provided through Facism. I thought we demonstrated that some 70-odd years ago…
John Nelson
October 4, 2012 at 1:56 pm
So, report on that idiot, not the law abiding gun owner who did nothing. All this article deminstrates is a pathetic lame attempt at demonization of a legal act and right.
Robert Ries
October 4, 2012 at 4:04 am
Sounds like some student need to be expelled for extreme sutpidity/fucktardery.