By Police1 Staff
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Liberty University is opening an on-campus shooting range next fall to help prepare the campus for an active shooter or terrorist scenario.
According to the Washington Post, the range will feature pistol, rifle, and shotgun facilities and an archery range. University President Jerry Falwell Jr. said the range will be one of the most expansive firearms ranges on any U.S. campus.
“This is one of the examples of how Liberty is unique and different,” Falwell told the publication. “We really had the perfect setting for our own competitive shooting range.”
Last year, Falwell created a free course for faculty, students, and staff to receive a concealed carry permit. Because Liberty University is private, the campus is exempt from Virginia’s law of a gun-free campus.
“I was a little timid about telling parents about it because I thought some would be worried,” Falwell said. “But I never got such enthusiastic applause.”
Falwell said gun-free zones make universities vulnerable and he hopes the range will help students hone their skills and prepare them for the worst.
“It’s where the terrorists are most likely to strike,” Falwell said. “They [students] don’t want to see anything happen here like at Virginia Tech, where nobody was able to fire back.”
Gun Range SUP by WSET on Scribd