By: Teresa Mull

Evan Todd was a sophomore at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado in 1999 when two shooters stormed his school and killed 13 people.

Todd himself recalls having a gun held to his head by one of the shooters.

Today, Todd is an advocate for arming teachers.

"I remember thinking, someone with a gun has got to come in here like any day, you know," Todd told KUNC. "You just think they’re going to come in and stop these guys, and we’re gonna get out of here. And, nothing."

The radio station reports:

Todd now believes a teacher who is allowed to carry a firearm can make a difference during a school shooting. He is a gun owner and a concealed carry permit holder himself. Earlier this year, Todd testified at the Colorado statehouse in favor of a bill that would allow people to carry guns on school grounds and has done some public speaking on the issue.

"What actually stops these from happening? And in the world we live in, a firearm is one of those ways," said Todd, speaking about school shootings. "And a firearm would have saved lives at Columbine."

Todd testified in favor of HB19-1049, the “Concealed Handguns On School Grounds” bill, sponsored by Rep. Patrick Neville (R-Castle-Rock), a fellow Columbine survivor.

Neville has introduced such legislation year after year, and explained to GPM last session why arming teachers would help prevent these tragedies:

Teresa Mull is editor of Gunpowder Magazine. Contact her at [email protected].
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