This week at the Indian River County Fairgrounds, there is the Firefighters Fair. But the property is leased at other times of the year to antique shows, home improvement shows, and gun shows.
Tuesday, Bob Galbraith of Vero Beach asked county commissioners to consider banning gun shows from the fairgrounds, and other public properties.
“Disturbing what happened in Parkland and in other schools and I have a young child in school and I’m worried about things," said Galbraith.
He said his kids play on the adjacent soccer fields and fears the worst if someone intending to do harm just bought a weapon nearby.
“This isn’t about banning gun shows. The government doesn’t need to be in this business," added Galbraith.
“That’s probably the last place someone will want to get a weapon and use it… is at a gun show," said Joel Molinari, one of a number of residents who spoke out against the idea.
Michael Strickland runs Patriot Productions. He organizes five gun shows on the fairgrounds annually.
“It’s an attack on small business. We’re a legal, legitimate company. Federal, state and local and we conduct business at the fairgrounds just as any event does," said Strickland.
Others who spoke Tuesday didn’t want to see a knee-jerk reaction from commissioners.
“They do a very good job conducting these gun shows," added Richard Chapman of Vero Beach.
It would be up to one of the county commissioners to propose an ordinance limiting gun shows at the fairgrounds, and elsewhere, for the issue to gain any traction.