Florida Student Suing for Right to Bring Gun to Football Game

Florida State University graduate student Rebekah Hargrove thinks the school’s policy that prohibits legal gun owners from keeping weapons locked in their vehicles while on campus violates state law.

She’s so sure of her stand, a lawsuit seeking an injunction against FSU before the Seminole’s face off against the University of South Florida Bulls on Saturday was filed on her behalf Tuesday. Florida Carry, a gun-rights group, filed the suit on her behalf.

Florida Carry won a legal victory against a similar policy at the University of North Florida back in 2013. In that case, the Florida 1st District Court of Appeals ruled that universities do not have the right to regulate legal possession of firearms that are properly stowed in private vehicles parked on their campuses.

Hargrove’s suit contends FSU has issued policy statements that defy the ruling. The school’s FSU Game Day Plan 2015, for example, prohibits weapons on the campus “at all times including football games. Fans may not store firearms or other weapons in their vehicles parked on the campus while attending the game.” The directive goes on to threaten felony criminal charges for failure to comply.

Sean Caranna, Florida Carry’s executive director, says that threat goes too far.

“These publications are a blatant attempt by FSU President Thrasher, and his anti-Second Amendment employees, to enforce illegal gun control with the threat of throwing good people in jail for the lawful exercise of their right to bear arms,” he was quoted in a media release as saying. “We demand that public officials follow the law and will stand for nothing less.”

The lawsuit filed on behalf of Hargrove was entered into the Leon County court system on Tuesday, court records indicate. It names FSU President John Thrasher, the university and university police Chief David Perry as defendants.

As of Wednesday, the case had been assigned to Judge Charles Dodson. It remains unclear just when he will take up the issue.

FSU has a policy that prohibits comments on pending litigation.

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