It amazes me that otherwise intelligent people will allow there fears to overcome good judgment. CCW holders as a group have the lowest criminal use (by percentage) of guns in the United States. In fact they have an even lower occurrence of crime with a gun than law enforcement officers. And in the last 30 years almost all mass murders (more than 4 people killed with a gun) have occurred in a gun free zone.  Even though different states have different rules regarding the issue of a concealed carry permit to the residents of there respective states nowhere has it been shown that they have in any way created a problem of any sort to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Further, the more gun free zones you create the greater the chance you have of some mentally unstable person deciding this is the place and this is the time to vent their frustration. And most of those who have chosen to kill in this fashion have been mentally unstable. The real issue to the problem of gun violence is (1) better mental health care and access to it, the issue of the frustration of people trapped in poverty, and (2) finding ways to combat the problems caused by illegal drug use. Please reconsider your misguided response to the issue of gun violence.

Respectfully submitted

Dave Williams

1041 Carolyn Court

Halifax VA  24558