Headline: Woman Stabbed Outside Gym Getting Gun License For Personal Safety

WBNS (CBS Columbus) is reporting that women from one Ohio community are aiming to keep themselves safe, after a dangerous attack hit close to home.

From the article:

Rikki Whitaker survived a stabbing outside of her gym in early one morning in March. She's now out of the hospital and learning self-defense.

Whitaker says police are still searching for the man, who attacked her. In fact, next week, she says she'll be helping them put together a better sketch of what he looks like, to help in the investigation.

Before all that, she and her fellow gym members, are empowering themselves by pulling the trigger.

Much like training at the gym, these women are dedicating time to target practice.

Lisa Wright is at the shooting range, AimHi in New Albany, not because she's new to guns, but because she's shooting in support of her new friend, Rikki Whitaker.

“I think it just made everyone realize that we're not as safe as we think,” said friend, Lisa Wright.

After Whitaker was threatened with a gun and stabbed with a knife, outside of the LA Fitness in Hilliard, Wright and other gym members immediately came to her side.

“I think things like that happen when you least expect it,” said 25-year-old Whitaker.

First, the women joined together for self-defense training at a Krav Maga studio, and now they’re learning how to safely handle a gun.

“If I can't fight back physically, as a woman, it's easy to be overpowered by a man and I want to have that gun to defend myself,” said Whitaker.

The article goes on to describe the concealed handgun license (CHL) class Whitaker participated in, before concluding with the following:

“It is an empowering feeling, but I know it's a last resort. It's not something you want to use, but at some point it's something you could need to,” said Whitaker.

At first, she was visibly timid, but with each pull of the trigger, Whitaker aims to regain her sense of strength and normalcy in her daily life.

“I certainly pictured him more than once holding that gun. I can tell you that,” said Whitaker about her attacker.

Ohioans should be aware that it is not necessary to wait weeks or months to obtain the training and background checks necessary to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense. Ohio law offers law-abiding residents a temporary emergency license (TEL), will allow someone to legally carry a gun before completing the 12 hours of state mandated training and waiting on a sheriff to issue a regular license.

There are a few key differences with the TEL and a regular license.

• It can only be obtained from your County Sheriff. (Not an adjacent county)
• There is no training requirement.
• It is issued “immediately.” (The Sheriff does an instant background check first)
• You must submit proof of need. (The most misunderstood part.) If you have a temporary protection order, that is considered sufficient need. This has worked well.The other option is a sworn affidavit that you have a need. This one has caused problems. Note that it does not require you to state your need, only that you state that you have a need.

The TEL is only valid for 90 days, and cannot be renewed for four years. It is only to allow someone to carry legally until they can obtain training and apply for a regular license. It carries the same privileges and restrictions as a regular license.

Because of the high rate of assault and murder by people whom a restraining order is supposed to restrict, some states require that battered women or those issued a protection order are given information about getting a concealed carry license. Ohio has no such law.

Be a good friend. If you know someone who has a need to carry, they may not know about the TEL or how to obtain it. Help them out. It is likely that no one else will, and their life may depend on it.

To download a TEL application, click here.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor.