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Who shoots, who carries in SWFL

Posted at 10:00 PM, Jul 18, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-19 06:18:09-04

CAPE CORAL, Fla. - From mass shootings to neighborhood crime, with every pull of the trigger, comes a conversation about gun control and violence.

The debate is far from over but the interest in guns is skyrocketing. 

"All of the sudden I'm seeing I have 80-year-old women coming in here wanting to learn how to shoot a firearm for self defense," said the owner of Fowler Firearms in Fort Myers, Jon Dezendorf.

Dezendorf says he has hundreds of people sign up for conceal/carry classes every month. 

You might be wondering where the most conceal carry licenses are issued compared to where the most shootings happen in Southwest Florida.

Top Five Zip Codes For Reported Shootings In Southwest Florida

According to reports from law enforcement across Southwest Florida, the top five zip codes for shootings include: 

33976 

33907

33905

33901

33916

Top Five Zip Codes With Most Concealed Weapons Licenses In Southwest Florida

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, from June of last year to June of this year, the top five zip codes with the most concealed weapons licenses are: 

33917 with 3,020 permits

33908 with 3,113 permits

33950 with 3,152 permits
 
33904 with 3,363 permits

And the zip code with the most permits is 33914 with 4,105 permits.

Cape Coral Shooting Zip Code 33914 Has The Most Permits

Zip code 33914 is the same zip code that saw one of Cape Coral's most violent days when a gunman went on a shooting spree in three different locations killing two people and injuring others before he was eventually shot and killed by police.

Most people living in 33914 say they feel better living in a neighborhood surrounded with guns.

Susan Gass has one herself. The grandmother and Cape Coral resident says she is confident with her own skills but worries about firearms getting into the wrong hands.

"As long as they are properly trained to operate their gun then I don't feel scared. But a lot of states allow you to take a five hour class and don't show you how to shoot your gun," said Gass.

Training is a top priority at Fowler Firearms.  "That's what it is with everything in life, education," added Dezendorf.

Susan hopes every licensed carrier knows it's a responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly.

"Whether it's a 357 or an AR 15, they're still going to kill."

Find your zip code to see how the shooting reports compare to the conceal carry licenses here with our interactive map: