Days after a man was shot on the Eastern Florida State College campus, a pro-gun group that's giving away an AR-15 rifle is suing the school, challenging its campus gun ban.
Florida Carry Inc. members filed a lawsuit Monday against the college claiming the school's policy violates state law and students' right to carry firearms on campus, Florida Today reports.
It's part of a statewide effort the group has launched.
The college decided this week to allow students to keep guns in their cars on campus, WFTV reports, in response to a 1st District Court of Appeal ruling in December in favor of Florida Carry. The court decided in December that the University of North Florida cannot prohibit guns from being kept in cars parked on campus, according to the Florida Times-Union. Florida Carry also filed a lawsuit in January against the University of Florida for prohibiting guns on any school property.
Florida Carry's lawsuit against Eastern Florida State College asks the school to pay thousands of dollars in damages and to completely remove its policy on firearms, leaving it all up to the state Legislature.
The lawsuit against EFSC was filed just four days after a campus shooting at the school, and soon after the Florida Carry group announced it's currently holding a drawing for a custom AR-15 rifle to people who sign up for its email list.
According to police, Amado Contreras and his brother Landyer attacked student Landrick Hamilton with a pool cue on the EFSC campus on Jan. 30. Hamilton got a gun from his car and shot Contreras, who was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
All three men claim they acted in self-defense.
Allowing guns on campus has typically been unpopular among higher education leaders, including in traditionally conservative states, although Republican lawmakers have continued to push in recent years for more access to carrying firearms at colleges. A 2012 survey of students at 15 Midwestern schools showed roughly 4 out of 5 students oppose the idea as well.
Florida Carry's plaintiffs in the lawsuit against EFSC did not reveal their names for fear of retaliation.