After nearly every person inside of a small Texas church was shot by a lone gunman on Sunday, many Floridians are wondering if they're allowed to protect themselves inside of churches.
RELATED: Texas church shooter was denied a license to carry a gun, governor says
Detective Tracey Schofield of the Brooksville Police Department said, "If they go to church, they’re legally allowed to carry it (a gun). There are no restrictions in the state of Florida."
Florida State Statute 790.06 lists places you are not allowed to bring a concealed carry, if you have a permit. That list includes:
Schools, government buildings, law enforcement agencies, professional sporting events, airports, and anywhere that serves alcohol.
But not on the list: churches
Schofield said, "This isn’t the first time a church has been attacked and unfortunately it probably won’t be the last."
Schofield believes it’s crucial that churches have open discussions about what to do in the case of an emergency.
Schofield said, "We’re not going to discourage people from protecting themselves. Have a plan because the people that are not prepared are the people that won't survive these and it's unfortunate but we have to do that in these times."
