(KUTV) A concealed weapons training class was held at the Maverick Center Thursday to train educators on how to protect themselves.
Nearly 200 teachers attended the free concealed weapons course that was organized by OPSGEAR and the Utah Shooting Sports Council.
Organizers say they threw together the training class together in about a week and a half after wondering what they could do to help teachers in Utah after the Connecticut shootings.
OPSGEAR said hundreds of people requested information about becoming a concealed carry holder since the shooting two weeks ago.
“They say not to fight fire with fire, but maybe I’m thinking it would be a good thing and that’s why I’m here today,” Alta High hall monitor Marion Montoya says.
The concealed weapons and mass violence training is being provided free of charge.
“We are not training these teachers to go roam the hallways in search of that active shooter. We want them to institute, as directed by their district, the normal lock-down procedures, but when that falls short, when the gunman comes in to the classroom, they have that one extra option besides diving in front of the kids and taking the bullets,” Utah Shooting Sports Council Chairman Clark Aposhian says.
The teachers came from all over Utah. Many say they feel they need to be better prepared to defend themselves in case something like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting should happen.
