Gun-carrying students would make US colleges 'safer'

Four years after America's worst ever college shooting, a student group has told Newsbeat they should be allowed their own hidden guns in classrooms.

The organisation, called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, was set up after 32 staff and students were killed at Virginia Tech, on 16 April 2007.

Twenty-five-year-old David Burnett from Lexington, Kentucky, is the group's president.

He holds a 'concealed carry' permit and keeps a handgun hidden beneath his shirt most of the time.

He says it is unfair that most US colleges do not allow permit-carrying gun owners to bring weapons on campus.

'Right to defend'

"We believe that colleges do not have the right to bar law-abiding citizens from carrying concealed weapons for self-defence," he told Newsbeat.

"Even though we are recognised by the state as having the right to defend ourselves, the college takes that right away."

We met David in a shop called Gun Warehouse near Lexington city centre.

Also in the shop is 28-year-old Kira Goldade, who says she has had to overcome a fear of guns for protection.

"I have an ex-boyfriend," she explained.

"He has told me on several occasions that he will find me and harm me.

"I can't match his strength physically but I know if I have a gun then at least I have a chance."

Students for Concealed Carry on Campus has members in all 50 US States.

Last year, David says, around 130 colleges took part in a protest week where students wore empty gun-holsters to symbolise the threat they feel.

"The Virginia Tech shooter had nine minutes and 400 bullets," he said.

"If I had been in that classroom that day, the chance of stopping that shooting spree in its tracks would have been higher."

'Lose your mind'

Colin Goddard, also 25, strongly disagrees.

"It's very easy to think that," he said.

"You think you know what you would do. But, honestly, you will lose your mind if you are involved in something like that."

Colin took four bullets from the Virginia Tech shooter back in 2007. "One above my left knee," he explained, "in both my hips, and through my right shoulder."

Of the 17 people in his French class, 10 others died - including the teacher.

Nowadays, Colin works for an organisation called the Brady Campaign, working for tighter and what he describes as 'more sensible' gun-laws.

But he says he still gets where David Burnett and his Concealed Carry group are coming from.

"These people are afraid. I totally understand that. I was there. But their fear is misdirected.

"If that idea (that carrying a gun makes you safer) was true, we'd already be the safest place in the world.

"The US already has 300 million guns in circulation that we know about. How many more hundred million do we need before we become a safer country?"

You can keep up with Dave during his time in the US by following his Radio1DaveH , externalaccount on Twitter.