Group discusses guns in wake of shootings

Gun Sense Chester County aims to ‘keep guns away from those who shouldn’t have them’

WEST GOSHEN » In wake of the second fatal shooting in the township within six weeks, a local grassroots organization has upped its efforts to start a conversation about guns.

The 250-member Gun Sense Chester County is not opposed to all gun ownership, said founding member and board member Tom Buglio.

“We’re not anti-gun or anti-Second Amendment,” Buglio said, “We want responsible gun ownership and to keep guns away from those who shouldn’t have them.”

Police say Tuesday’s murder of G. Brooks Jennings on Box Elder Drive was the likely result of long-simmering disputes among neighbors.

Clayton P. Carter III was charged with the murder of his next-door neighbor.

Police say they were called to the neighborhood the day prior to the shooting and that Carter regularly fought with neighbors and had openly carried a gun on his property.

Buglio said that Carter should not have been able to possess a gun.

“People have a right to own a gun but they have a responsibility to use it safely,” he said.

“I’m no expert on anger issues,” Buglio said, “but anybody who has an anger management problem shouldn’t have a gun — this is something we should advocate.

“This highlights how dangerous guns are. Obviously responsible gun ownership is not waving a gun at your neighbors.”

Ann Cummings is the chairperson of Gun Sense Chester County. She said that some members of the group choose to own guns while others do not.

“We need to educate the public on gun laws so we can have a thoughtful conversation,” she said. “There is a lot of common ground between gun owners and non-gun owners.”

Background checks are not required with private sales of long guns or hunting rifles, although Cummings said that more than 80 percent of the population supports background checks for all gun sales.

She also said that an excess of 70 percent of gun owners favor universal background checks.

“We need to decide together as a community — not just gun owners or nongun owners,” Cummings said. “We’re not looking to add fuel to the fire.

“We strive to include gun owners in discussions on these issues, and to affirm where there is common ground. We know there are many responsible gun owners. They bring a valuable perspective to determining what makes sense. They are important to creating a consistent culture of safe, responsible gun ownership.”

Buglio started the all-volunteer group at the Unitarian Congregation of West Chester about a month after the 2013 Sandy Hook shooting. It was originally formed as the Chester County Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence.

The all-volunteer group is no longer formally associated with the congregation.

The name was recently changed.

Buglio supports formal education for every gun owner through gun safety training courses.

Buglio talked about the shooting death of 18-yearold Bianca Roberson that police say was likely a case of road rage.

The alleged shooter had a permit to legally carry a gun.

“Somebody who has a concealed carry permit should not be allowed to carry a loaded gun in the front seat of their car,” he said.

Buglio said that Roberson’s death could have likely been prevented.

“Anger and guns are bad mix,” he said. “We all go through road rage. This could have been avoided.”

“With a recent Pew Research Trust study reporting 38 percent of gun owners say a gun is loaded and easily accessible at all times, we’re afraid we may see more gun-related deaths,” Cummings said.

Buglio also said that guns and alcohol are a “bad mix,” as well as guns on school campuses.

He advocates for safe storage of guns in the home and restrictions for the mentally ill and those with domestic violence issues.

Buglio noted that when most consider gun violence in the area, they think of Philadelphia, Reading, Chester or Coatesville.

“Gun violence can happen anywhere, at any time,” he said. “We need a national conversation on how to make it safer.”

“With a recent Pew Research Trust study reporting 38 percent of gun owners say a gun is loaded and easily accessible at all times, we’re afraid we may see more gun-related deaths.” — Ann Cummings, chairperson of Gun Sense Chester County