ARLINGTON, Va. (WUSA9) --Dozens of parents gathered Saturday, furious no one was able to stop a gun shop from opening in Arlington, Va.
Lawmakers rallied with those parents and tell WUSA 9 they are pushing for legislation that will give local governments a bigger say.
“It doesn’t have to be a mass shooting, it just has to be close and affect us and I think any kind of violence that’s affiliated with that store or in our neighborhood is going to be horrible,” said Beth Fine while holding her daughter, “I’ve, we already had conversations. I have two 3-year-olds and a 6-year-old and they already know if they see a gun, to turn and go the other way as fast as they can and find a grown-up.”
Having to have that conversation is what brought the Virginia mom to Saturday’s rally. She and many more are upset NOVA Armory is now located just steps away from a daycare center and other businesses and restaurants along N. Pershing Dr. in Arlington’s Lyon Park neighborhood.
“Guns in the community will increase teenage suicide,” said Dr. Barbara Kanninen on the Arlington County School Board.
Others tell WUSA 9 they were blindsided by the news, learning about the store’s opening a month or less-out.
Medha Shah, a VA Hospital Physician said, “When a community center is being built, we have almost a year or more of discussion about it, so it was pretty shocking to me that, you know, a gun store is suddenly in our neighborhood.”
“We are the densest community in Virginia. We’re urban. We have different concerns than we do in Richmond,” said Arlington County Board Member, Christian Dorsey.
That's why certain county and state leaders are fighting to have the County Board approve permitting instead of the state, they tell us.
“I did introduce a bill last session and it failed. It didn’t get out of Committee and we’re not surprised,” said (D) State Senator, Barbara Favola.
Those rallying claim the shop will bring criminal activity. Police haven’t posted Arlington’s crime stats from last year yet but we do know two years ago, county law enforcement says Arlington saw the lowest crime rate since 1961.
Still that’s not helping to calm the parents protesting, who are also looking across the river. A Washington Post map shows D.C. gun crimes from January to the summer jumped 20 percent last year compared to 2014.
While the protest went on, NOVA Armory celebrated what the owner described to be a successful Grand Opening.
“I think some of the concerns are unfounded. I think there are some anti-gun activists that are in the area. But again, as people come and learn more about our business, um it’s settled a lot of the fears and they’re becoming much more comfortable with us,” said Dennis Pratte, who also invited any other dissenters to the store.
“This is so much closer and convenient that I’m glad it’s here,” said Rob Kenyan, checking out the firearms Saturday. Michael Bergan is another shop supporter, a former Marine, who we found at the anti-gun shop rally.
“I just wanted to hear what people had to say,” Bergen said, “but I think it’s, actually I think it’s wrong. It’s almost like bullying someone out of their own personal livelihood.”
“There are a million other businesses that would benefit that space and fit our community than one that sells violence and death,” said Fine.
Pratte tells WUSA 9 he chose this location due to the absence of shops in Arlington and D.C. He also says he is the previous owner of NOVA Firearms but sold that business before they decided to move and met protesters at their new location in McLean.
Pratte says he expected opposition but did not expect for several lawmakers to get involved. One, he says, wrote his new landlord a letter asking to reconsider the lease.
Those from the group #Act4LyonPark organized the Saturday Protest Rally.
Other speakers included Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31), Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49), Del. Mark Levine (D-49) and Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles.
