Who's packing heat at the mall?

"...The mall shooting galvanized Thomas Antor, a Sparta resident and former police officer, who says he plans to obtain a concealed weapons permit and take his gun when he shops.

"I've grown older. I see more of a need. This world is becoming more dangerous. I don't want to be a victim," said Antor, whose letter to The Press' Public Pulse appeared Tuesday.

VanderWoude has been taking his .45 or 38 special with him shopping since July 2001, when a state law took effect making it easier to get a concealed weapons permit. He and his employees at the Silver Bullet Firearms Indoor Range & Training Center, 5121 S. Division Ave., wear their guns at work.

There now are 4,500 people in Kent County with permits to carry concealed weapons and 2,400 in Ottawa County, according to state records.

Permit-holders are banned from carrying their concealed weapons into certain public areas, including schools, day care centers, churches, hospitals, casinos, colleges, sports arenas and stadiums, and bars where liquor sales are the primary source of income.

But access to malls and stores depends on the policy of individual operators.

For example, Woodland Mall in Kentwood and Centerpointe Mall in Grand Rapids prohibit weapons except for those carried by law enforcement or authorized security. Mall security guards don't carry guns, either.

"We are a shopping environment and want people to feel comfortable, and we don't think that makes people feel comfortable to see people with weapons," said Cheryl Dougherty, vice president of marketing for Woodland Mall's parent company, Pennsylvania Retail Estate Investment Trust.

"We are staffed with rigorously-trained security teams and work with law enforcement. Our malls have advanced security camera systems in place. Our highest priority is to provide our shoppers and mall employees with a safe shopping environment."

Well isn't that just so special. Next time some nutcase goes on a shooting spree, Cheryl can pass out high quality pics of the shoppers being mowed down. Get shot now and she'll even include your photo on a unique Christmas card sure to be the hit of the season.

"RiverTown Crossings in Grandville doesn't ban permit holders from carrying their weapons, but if a gun is spotted, the person will be asked to leave the premises.

"Typically, we involve the police at this point," said Randy Zimmerman, general manager of the area's largest mall.

Grandville Police Chief Vern Snyder said weapons carried by shoppers with permits haven't been an issue at the mall.

"As soon as (the gun) becomes visible, then we end up with the public being concerned, and technically we may have a violation of the law," Snyder said, "because the law doesn't allow people to display weapons where they are creating panic."

Snyder declined to say how he feels about people with permits carrying guns into the mall."

And therein lies the usual law enforcement rub.

"Panic". Stretch the truth and the law to the breaking point in order to disarm the law abiding citizen.

If "the law" allows law enforcement to carry, but feels as if citizen carry is going to induce wide scale panic, then one or two things has gone haywire. Either the soccer moms need a swift and serious CALMING THE FRIG DOWN, the cops have simply GOT to be told that they are no more special than anyone else...or BOTH.