Guns on campus spark debate at Purdue University

PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Ind. (WLFI) - The location doesn't matter. It could be a classroom, the library, or the dorms. For those who want people to be able to carry guns on college campuses it doesn't matter where.

Indiana Republican Senator Jim Banks proposed legislation that would allow anyone with a concealed carry license to carry their gun at any state university.

Right now Purdue policy prohibits anyone to carry a firearm or explosives. If caught a student could be expelled. Banks' bill would prohibit schools from banning guns.

Purdue University Police Chief John Cox agrees with the school's policy.

"There is not a lot that allowing firearms to be carried by whomever and stored wherever in an educational environment or educational institution that is going to do good," Cox said.

"Concealed carry prevents crime," Purdue Student Senator Zach Briggs said. "I don't see why we don't allow responsible college students to carry guns on campus."

Briggs proposed allowing students to carry guns on campus to student government last year. That proposal was denied. Briggs said his proposal is backed by statistics.

"The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms says everyday 550 rapes, 1,500 murders and 5,200 other violent crimes are prevented by simply showing a gun," Briggs said.

Chief Cox has his own statistics to back why Purdue is not the place for people to carry guns. He said in 2009, 2010 and 2012 there was only one case of gun violence on campus. In 2011 there were zero cases.

"We don't have a lot batteries, we don't have a lot of sexual assaults," Cox said. "We don't have a lot of those crimes against people where people might feel like they need to carry a weapon like a firearm to be able to protect themselves."

Wesley Allen is the president of Purdue's Students For Self Defense Rights group. He said even with the low crime rate on campus there are times he would feel safer with armed protection.

"I'm here late at night and I have to walk pretty far to get to a car on the edge of campus, and it's dark," Allen said.

Both Briggs and Allen will graduate this year. They said they don't expect the policy to change in their time at school.

We'll have to see what happens to Banks' bill. He proposed it last year. It died before it got a hearing.