Sheriff Chad Bianco advocates for CCW permits in aftermath of Twin Falls shooting

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – In the aftermath of a deadly shooting in Twin Falls, Idaho, some gun rights activists are advocating for concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits. 

The shooting at an In-N-Out Burger in Idaho killed three people and hurt seven others. During the shooting, an off-duty state trooper and a private citizen, both armed with handguns, engaged the suspect. Law enforcement praised the actions of the two gun owners and said their presence prevented more people from getting hurt.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco joined in on the calls for more "good guys with guns."

In a post to his Facebook page, he wrote the following:

"My heart goes out to the victims killed and harmed by another coward. It is being reported the shooting was stopped by a hero with a gun. His quote from 2024 on social media: train like your life depends on it, because God forbid, one day it might.”  I issue CCW permits because I know law abiding heroes can protect Riverside County. The only person who can stop a lunatic with a gun is a hero with a gun. I will always fight for Californians and their ability to protect themselves. It’s a God given right, not one granted by government."

"I was very heartbroken for everyone involved there," the sheriff said in an interview with News Channel 3. "It may sound odd, but I was extremely proud of the two people who stood up and tried to take care of that situation to save everybody else there."

Sheriff Bianco has long been an advocate for CCW permits. Last year, he provided statistics for how many permits have been issued under his watch in Riverside County. According to him, only 3,400 permits had been issued before he became sheriff, dating back to the founding of the county. Since he took the spot as the county's top cop, over 70,000 permits were issued under his watch.

We asked Bianco if there were any numbers that showed a reduction in violent crime due to the high number of CCWs in the county. He answered, "You can't prove a negative... you will never, ever, ever be able to prove by a statistic that everybody having CCWs has less crime. I can tell you that they don't have more crime. I can tell you that states that have open carry, states that have everybody's carrying guns, their crime rates are not more than us."

"I know for an absolute fact that more than a handful of our CCW holders have saved their own lives and the lives of others with the gun that they were carrying because of their CCW permit," he continued.

Riverside County is considered to be one of the fastest places in the state to become a CCW holder. Bianco made it clear that the number of CCWs he issued doesn't mean it's easy to get one; rather, the county prioritizes the application process and doesn't wait around like other counties.

Corporal Michael Buelna, an instructor at the shooting range at the Ben Clark Training Center, showed News Channel 3's Gavin Nguyen basic fundamentals that CCW applicants are expected to have an understanding of prior to becoming a permit holder. From basic gun safety to adequate marksmanship, it all plays a role. Applicants also go through three days of courses to learn about laws, mental health resources, and more.

More information on the CCW permit process is available on the Riverside County Sheriff's Office website, found here.

Corporal Buelna said many of the applicants have a similar goal in mind when they choose to pursue their CCW. "They really want to be here. Any time we ask them what their purpose for getting the the permit is, it's always positive. It's always 'I want to protect my family' or 'I want to protect myself,'" he said.