Practical to Patriotic: People from All Walks of Life Pursue Conceal Carry Licenses

(Editor’s Note: This is the second in a three-part series)

For 70-year-old Wheaton resident John Scudder, carrying a weapon is about protection and patriotism.

“You have to protect yourself—your family—it’s in the constitution and I’m glad Illinois finally realized the fact the Second Amendment is the right to bear arms,” said Scudder before passing a shooting proficiency test in a conceal carry class Sunday, Dec. 8, at Article II Gun World Range in Lombard.

The two-day, 16-hour class, taught by Romeoville Police Department Sergeant and Marine Corps range master Chris Burne, served to fulfill the state-mandated training requirement for residents seeking to gain conceal carry permits, including Scudder, himself a Veteran.

He plans to exercise his Second Amendment right as soon as he gains his conceal carry license. Applications will be on the Illinois State Police website beginning on Jan. 5.

“Probably all the time,” Scudder said. “I’m retired military. I have 40 years in the Army (Scudder was a Command Sergeant Major). And that’s what I did. I carried a weapon full time. This is nothing new to me in any way.”

Beth Witkus’ story is much, much different.

Witkus, a 23-year-old Alsip resident, was turned on to sport shooting by her fiance, Jacob Coffey, but still feels as a young woman she is bucking the odds in what largely is a man’s world.

“There definitely are more men that shoot,” Witkus said. “I do know of a lot of women who enjoy shooting. But, yeah, I think we still are the minority. My fiance initially attracted me to it. Then, I started shooting. I get relaxation from it. It’s a lot of fun.”

She sees Illinois’ new conceal carry law working as a deterrent to crime.

“Just because of not knowing who else can defend themselves, there won’t be as many problems, as many issues,” Witkus said.

And then there is 35-year-old Tony DiDomenico, a Chicago cabinet maker who is seeking a conceal carry license primarily for safety reasons. He said he works in a warehouse in a rough neighborhood and is looking forward to the peace of mind carry a gun will bring him as he walks to-and-from his car each night.

“I was happy when the law passed, just to get in line with the Constitution,” DiDomenico said. “Most people who own guns are responsible people. People who actually want to carry are following the law. All of us here today—we’re in this class. These are all law-abiding citizens who want to follow the law.

“Not everybody in this class is probably going to carry every day. I’m not going to carry every day. The reason why I will carry—I work in a sketchy building—it’s my business, a sketchy building, a rundown warehouse.

"So, while I’m working I’d feel a little more comfortable if I would be able to protect myself, especially late at night walking from my workshop to my vehicle. I tend to walk through a pretty nasty area.

“Really, it’s peace-of-mind, a safety thing, being able to—if I had to, and only if I had to—defend myself. For me, it’s not really the ‘cool’ thing to do. It’s just practical.”

There is at least one group that will not be allowed to participate in Illinois: Burne said on-duty paramedics and EMTs are prohibited by state law from practicing conceal carry in their buildings and their vehicles.

PART I: Local Cop Brings Unique Expertise to Conceal Carry Training Classes

COMING NEXT: Log on at 6 a.m. Thursday and watch video of Patch Editor Ron Kremer testing his aim on the gun range and read his first-person account of the experience.