OKLAHOMA - When H& H Shooting Sports first opened its doors, workers say the ratio between men and women visitors was disproportionate
In fact, workers say about 90% of customers were men, compared to women at just 10%.
Nearly 30 years later, they say there are about as many women shooters as men.
"The biggest reason for that is people have begun to understand the power of what it is to be able to take care of their own defense," said Miles Hall, the owner of H&H.
For Joy Hast, the decision to get her concealed carry permit was an easy one.
"I worry about being attacked,so I wanted to be protected if the worst should happen," said Hast.
According to the Crime Prevention Research Center, Hast isn't alone.
The center's research shows that since 2011, there has been a jump in the number of people applying for concealed carry permits.
A growing number of those applicants are women.
It's something Carolyn Marsee says she's now considering after a terrifying incident on Wednesday.
"If the gun hadn't been there, none of them would have survived," said Marsee.
While many feel safer packing a weapon, experts say a gun is more likely to be used in an accidental death or suicide than in a protection situation.
If you want to learn more about concealed carry permits, click here.
