Annville gun range owner requests background checks after tragic incident

LEBANON COUNTY — A local gun range owner is speaking out asking lawmakers to require background checks at businesses like his.

Four 911 Rapid Response employees were honored for securing the showroom and calling 911 after a customer shot himself here at the shooting range last week.

While the man didn’t show any signs of aggression, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary, the owner would like the ability to run a background check on people who use the range.

As it stands right now, he’s not able to do that.

"When somebody purchases a firearm, that's different," 911 Rapid Response owner Mark Sallada said. "When somebody purchases a firearm they'll go through the checks, the whole nine yards, but for rental programs like ourselves and any other gun range, in the commonwealth, we're all in the same boat.

At this point Sallada has not met with lawmakers.

He says he needs support from other gun range owners to make a change.