Safe use of firearms, responsible gun ownership focus of free training in New Kensington

Bill Cleaver feels safer having a gun around the house.

But he doesn’t think he will be fully equipped to defend himself until he gets some training.

His wife, Kathy, said she doesn’t want to have a gun in her home unless she knows how to use it properly.

The Leechburg couple were among about 60 people who turned out for a free program Sunday in New Kensington covering the basics of firearm safety, shooting fundamentals and being a responsible gun owner.

“I won a pistol at a gun bash after trying for quite some time,” said Cleaver, 67. “I always said that if I win a gun, I’m going to take all the training. But after I got the gun, I really didn’t know where to go for training. So we thought this program would be a good start.”

His wife said she wants to feel comfortable and knowledgeable about the proper way to handle a firearm.

“If there’s a gun in the house, I want to be trained on it,” she said. “I don’t want to be in a situation and not know what to do.”

Organized by Eugene Bryan Sharpley of New Kensington and held at the Lost Dreams Awakening recovery clinic on Eighth Avenue, the program was led by Aaron Allen, a state trooper and owner and lead instructor of Elite Tactical Firearms Training in Greensburg.

The 1½ hour program covered a broad range of topics, from the fundamentals of firearm safety and handgun identification to how to load, handle and unload a gun. People who attended the program did not use actual weapons loaded with live ammunition to practice because there was no shooting range available.

But Allen’s program covered all the essentials to prepare a gun owner for a visit to the range to put their training into practice.

The program also focuses on a real-world approach that Allen developed through observation and experiences during his years as a state trooper.

One of those practical lessons is the proper way to grip a pistol with one or two hands.

“If you’re shooting at a bad guy like your at the range, that’s a grand day,” Allen said. “But that’s not how it typically happens. In a gunfight, you might be shooting one-handed, or shooting while trying to get out of the way. So we like to teach the realistic side of things.”

Allen said people are never too young to learn how to properly handle a firearm.

“We’ve trained kids as young as 6 years old,” Allen said. “We don’t turn anyone away.”

Allen said while he was initially hesitant about offering gun training to children, a request from a single mother changed his mind.

He said the woman wanted her 12-year-old son to learn how to use a gun safely because her ex-husband was being released from jail and made threats against them.

“I couldn’t say no to that,” he said. “She wanted her boy to be able to protect her and himself. So we decided that we would teach everyone.”

While a program geared toward young children is different than one for adults, Allen’s focus on safety is a constant thread in the lessons.

Toni Montemurro, 49, of Arnold said she took a basic gun safety course when she bought her first gun several years ago.

“I have a gun in my nightstand and one that I like to carry with me,” she said. “I took a class when I first got my gun, but the way the laws keep changing. I wanted to find out more about what my rights as a gun owner are.”

Part of Sunday’s training included a presentation from an attorney who discussed the legal ramifications of owning and using a firearm.

Sharpley, who helped start an organization called Urban Second Amendment, said the number of people who attended Sunday’s program exceeded his expectations. He noted that when a similar program was offered last year, only about 10 people attended.

Sharpley said offering training on how to use a firearm safely fills a gap that exists when people decide to buy a gun.

“There’s no training requirement to own a gun,” he said. “You have to be licensed to drive a car, but you can buy a gun without any training. We think it’s important to offer gun owners a way to be safer and more responsible.”

Sharpley said organizing the training program is also a response to the drumbeat of news reports about people who are shot accidentally.

“At least a couple of times a year, we hear about a kid dying because they got hold of a gun,” he said. “I think some of that can be prevented through training.”

Allen illustrated the importance of properly securing weapons by recounting a case in which a person reported that his gun was stolen from his vehicle.

Allen said he later learned that the gun ended up out of state and was used in a homicide.

“How would you feel if you found out your gun was used to kill somebody?” he said as he stressed the importance of keeping guns locked up.

Von Wade, co-founder of Lost Dreams Awakening, said he attended the program to gain understanding about how to better help people suffering from substance abuse.

“We take harm reduction very seriously,” said Wade, 54, of New Kensington. “And although we work with individuals and families affected by substance abuse disorders, we’ve also seen a trickle-down affect in gun safety and a lack of knowledge about gun safety.”