Colorado shootings spark gun control debate among northeast Ohioans

CLEVELAND - The Colorado movie theater shootings sparked gun control debate Monday among northeast Ohioans in the gun business.

Mike Dawson, owner of Five Star Firearms in Seven Hills, only sells high capacity magazines and drums to law enforcement. While accused Colorado shooter James Holmes purchased his firearms legally, Dawson believed online gun sites and illegal gun purchases are putting firearms in the wrong hands.

Dawson said he  believe gun control is not the answer and that, with the crime rate rising, people need to be able to defend themselves.

"Out of all the people in that movie theater, not one person was armed kind of surprises me," said Dawson. "They don't need more laws on hand guns or guns, period. What they need to do is have a strict enforcement of the gun laws that they have on the books today."

Kim Rodecker, owner and firearms instructor at Concealed Carry Courses in Cleveland, agreed on legislation not being the answer.

"You're never going to be able to stop a madman by legislation," said Rodecker.

Kim said the theater shooting, while tragic, could have been ended sooner by someone taking charge.

"As soon as they saw that man come in and start killing innocent people, innocent children, women and men, there could have been one person with his own firearm who could have ended it," said Rodecker.

Dawson said someone had to have known that Holmes was stockpiling firearms and could have tipped somebody off. The fact that didn't happen did not change his stance that gun control is not the answer.

"There's millions of guns out there and it would take 200 years to even think about stopping firearms," said Dawson.