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Charleston, S.C.

Aurora, Colo.

San Bernardino, Calif.

These three mass shootings and other recent massacres spurred a “Guns in America” town hall Tuesday at Center Penn College near Harrisburg.

The forum was live-streamed on the Times Leader website in conjunction with news-gathering partner Fox56.

A four-person panel took questions from an audience for an hour, focusing on gun laws and safety in today’s society.

“(The second amendment) is the part and parcel of the American people,” said Dave Keene, a panelist and former president of the National Rifle Association.

The audience didn’t hold back. The first question was about gun-ownership laws in Pennsylvania.

“A private sale is legal without a background check,” Keene said about state rules.

Shira Goodman, executive director of Ceasefire PA, argued that though anyone can buy a gun without a background check, the law doesn’t mandate training for gun owners.

In most cases, Keene said, conceal-carry permits are handled by local sheriffs. Attorney Mike Giaramita said that poses a problem because it gives them too much discretion. An applicant might get a permit in one county, but not in another.

“It’s different from county to county,” Giaramita of Mechanicsburg noted.

Dereasha Leaks asked about gun trafficking. Her son, 24-year-old Rayon Braxton, was murdered inside his Harrisburg business in November 2015.

“Why can’t they (the private seller) be responsible after they’re sold?” she asked.

Keene said it’s a felony to buy a gun for someone else, especially someone who is a known criminal. The flaw with the system is that people don’t realize someone is a criminal if they don’t do a check, said Ellen Kramer of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

“If you’re trafficking without doing a background check … odds are prosecutors won’t catch you … but they could and they should,” Keene said.

In a Facebook post read during the town hall, Gary Wells said he owns guns “to protect myself and my wife.”

Keene noted that’s why most non-criminals own guns.

“The criminals are the target (of laws), not law-abiding citizens,” he said. “(The second amendment) recognizes a pre-existing right to defend themselves and families.”

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By Melanie Mizenko

[email protected]

Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko