A new firearms campaign is taking shape in California, and although it's legal, it's creating quite a stir. "People are either curious, or they're concerned or they're downright frightened."
Andrew Ladenheim and his friends from Merced were greeted with a few stares Saturday when they walked into this Clovis Starbucks wearing unloaded guns for all to see.
Last week, another group of men did the same thing at this starbucks in the bay area.
California penal code allows a person to carry unloaded firearms in public as long as people can see it, and the person is 1,000 feet away from a K through 12 school.
But "Open Carry," the campaign these groups are promoting, is aimed at making it possible for people in all states to legally carry unloaded guns in public.
"It is really easy to get an illegal weapon and the fact that they make it so hard to defend yourself legally is just absolutely ridiculous."
"I'm a supporter of concealed carry. I'm not a supporter of open carry in those types of urban environments."
Ron Sawl owns "The Range" in Northwest Fresno. He fears "Open Carry" could pose a danger because it's misleading for law enforcement.
"A law enforcement officer who sees someone carrying a firearm in a place where you don't expect to see that is going to take time from his other law enforcement duties to investigate."
Companies like Peet's coffee and California Pizza Kitchen agree. They have policies banning anyone with firearms from entering their businesses.
The Brady campaign to prevent gun violence hopes starbucks will join suit. The organization started an on-line petition to push the coffee giant to enact a gun free policy. "We're warning people that this is not a family friendly environment when lethal weapons are on the premises."
15,000 people nationwide have signed that petition.
Meanwhile, we spoke with Fresno sheriff Margaret Mims about "Open Carry."
She says although she supports the right to bear arms, she fears "Open Carry" will cause confusion for the general public.
