Several SMHS students and activists ask city for gun buffer zones around schools

In the wake of the Parkland shooting and several threats on Santa Maria High School’s campus, some members of the community alongside students, are now questioning how close is too close for firearms to be near local schools as their nerves continue to be rattled.

“It’s an irresponsible decision to open a gun store right across from Santa Maria High,” said C.A.U.S.E Community Organizer, Abraham Melendrez.

“Imagine the first thing you see when you walk in and out of school is a gun store across the street, where weapons similar to the one used in Parkland are advertised and sold – this is unacceptable,” said Santa Maria High School student, Jenifer Lopez.

Melendrez, Lopez and several people spoke before Santa Maria’s City Council on Tuesday asking city leaders to consider making a gun buffer zone.

The zone would limit the sale of guns around the city’s schools.

But for some employees of Get R Gun, the gun store directly across from the high school, they see it differently.

Sales Associate Luis Catalan Valdez tells us: “These people are a little bit misinformed.. We have never had a problem being right next to a school.. it’s just been a recent problem obviously because of the whole March For Our Lives and the Parkland shooting.”

Melendrez says during Tuesday night’s meeting, city leaders mentioned that stores like Get R Gun might be grandfathered in a possible gun free zone, but making a rule like this could potentially change how close they allow businesses like this to set up shop in the future.

“You know they’ve done many things around marijuana dispensaries around pesticides and if anything should have a buffer zone, it should be the advertisements and sales of dangerous weapons especially in the hands of someone that’s meaning to do harm,” he explained.

Since this request for the gun free zone was heard during the city council’s public comment section, it’s unclear at this time if city leaders will move forward with this gun buffer zone.