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The Socorro Sheriff’s Office hosted a free women’s firearm safety class last Thursday as part of a new educational outreach program for the community.
With about two dozen women in attendance, Sheriff Lee Armijo reviewed basic gun safety, firearm storage and legal responsibilities as a gun owner.
“Some people in the class may have firearms in their home that they are not comfortable using, which is the case a lot of times with women, and that’s why I made this class specifically for women,” Armijo said.
Armijo said the various guns on display during the class were flagged and checked to confirm they were unloaded and safe for handling. This allowed all participants to learn hands-on and feel confident and safe around firearms, said Armijo.
Delilah Walsh, who attended the class, said since most of her experience with guns was for hunting, she signed up as a refresher. She found the discussion about statutes and the legal aspects of home protection eye-opening, especially regarding the appropriate use of force.
“Do I want a firearm in my home? And if I do, what’s the best safety situation and access for that?” Walsh said, “In the long run, you never want harm to come to anybody, whether to your family or another person. And that’s my biggest concern.”
Walsh said she was also interested in learning about types of firearms, ammunition and the differences among various manufacturers; this new knowledge was particularly valuable given her background of minimal exposure to firearms beyond hunting rifles and a shotgun.
“I really appreciated that it was all women. To me, I think that it was a safe space for women to ask questions and be curious,” Walsh said.
Armijo said he received positive feedback on the class. He plans to expand the program by offering multiple classes, including a gun safety course open to everyone, a hunter safety course for parents and children and eventually a second part of the class that would provide participants with exposure to handling guns at a firing range.
“We’re really big on educating people,” Armijo said, “We’d like to give people the opportunity to learn about guns and how they are just a tool that can be used safely.”
