Members at Charlotte church carry guns in case of active shooter situation

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some members at the Ministers at Trinity Church of the Nazarene on Tuckaseegee Road have concealed-carry permits and carry guns so they can defend themselves in an active-shooter situation.

"Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us that we should not protect individuals," Rev. Don Stewart said.

It's a decision the church said it wrestled with, but church members felt like they had to do something after shootings at churches in Charleston, Texas, Tennessee and others in recent years.

"No, it was not an easy decision,” Stewart said. “It was a decision we reached with the help of CMPD."

But not everyone is in favor of church members arming themselves.

Former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker said the chaos of an active shooter situation would be tough for an officer, let alone for a civilian, to deal with.

"I'm not a big fan of having private people inside churches or schools that are armed simply because first responders will not know who is the bad guy and who is the good guy," Swecker said.

Members of Ministers at Trinity Church decided that waiting is not an option.

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