Three deaths in ten years at indoor shooting range. Could they be prevented?

LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In the past decade, three people entered Applied Ballistics on Olympia Drive in Lafayette, rented a gun and turned the weapon on themselves.

Saturday Ernesto Tangassi Lucioa 21-year-old senior at Purdue University, shot himself once in the head after Applied Ballistics employees told him they were preparing to be locked up, police said. He was rushed to a local hospital, but died Sunday morning as a result of his injuries.

On November 25, 2022, Vijay Viswana 25-year-old Purdue student, also went to Lafayette’s indoor shooting range at closing time. Lafayette police said that after testing a variety of weapons, Viswan suddenly and intentionally shot himself and died later that evening as a result of his injuries.

On July 25, 2015a woman walked into Applied Ballistics around 3:42 p.m., rented a gun and shot herself. The woman also died shortly afterwards.

It’s difficult to say whether their deaths could have been prevented, Lafayette Police Chief Joe Clyde said Wednesday, because few laws in Indiana restrict who can carry or rent a gun.

In 2022, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed a bill that eliminated licensing requirements for handguns. Looking ahead, Clyde said: restrictions are only against it convicted felons or those who have had charges filed, anyone under the age of 18, those who have been dishonorably discharged from the military, who have been convicted of carrying due to an arrest for a violent crime, or who have a documented history of mental health problems.

If someone doesn’t fall into one of these categories, there’s nothing stopping them from renting or selling a gun.

“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives runs all the gun stores and shooting ranges, so shooting ranges have their rules in addition to everything else, although I don’t know exactly what all those rules are,” said Clyde. “Obviously this company has been here a long time and abides by those rules, but if someone comes in and doesn’t meet any of those restrictions, how is anyone supposed to know what he or she is planning to do?”

New Applied Ballistics customers must watch a 30-minute safety and training video before entering the facility, according to the company’s website.

The Journal & Courier asked Aaron Lorton, president of Applied Ballistics, via email whether the training video contained information about suicide or self-harm. Lorton said he did not want to answer questions due to the sensitive nature surrounding Saturday’s incident, but did provide a statement.

“We extend our condolences to the family and friends of Ernesto Tangassi Lucio. Suicide is difficult for everyone affected by it,” Lorton said in an email. “For this reason, our current focus is on providing the assistance and care needed for our employees who attended or responded to the incident.

“We would like to thank the first responders from the Lafayette Police Department, the Lafayette Fire Department and the Tippecanoe Emergency Ambulance Service for their quick and professional response. These types of incidents are difficult for them as well.”

Clyde said that while several lists are maintained of Indiana residents who are not legally allowed to carry a gun, there is no definitive list. Clyde, who said he has shot guns himself at Applied Ballistics, said he knows the company does a background check before renting a gun, but he is not familiar with what that process looks like.

Despite three deaths in the past decade at Applied Ballistics, and the new law loosening restrictions on carrying a handgun in Indiana, Clyde said the Lafayette Police Department has not seen an increase in the number of suicides involving handguns.

What they have seen an increase in, however, is an increase in the number of young people with guns.

“We’ve been tracking our number of shootings before and after the law was changed in Indiana, and where we’re seeing an uptick in trends in recent years is in juvenile property ownership,” Clyde said. “The law doesn’t allow a young person to have a gun, but we have reports of guns being stolen every week. I know we’ve put out releases asking people to lock their cars if they keep a gun in there.”

Dan Arens, CEO of Valley Oaks Health, said he is not aware of any legislation currently in the works that would address handgun access or deaths at shooting ranges, but he did point to recent legislation that aimed to help provide stronger mental health resources. advocates.

Senate Bill 1, which passed during the 2023 Indiana General Assembly, appropriated several resources to fund local programs, including the creation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Arens said that bill has allowed Valley Oaks Health to operate its 24/7 988 crisis line through its Ferry Street office, as well as the creation of a mobile crisis team.

“Over the last two years, we’ve had walk-in access so people could get care quickly,” Arens said. “And even with our 24/7 services, they are only useful as long as people are aware of them and take advantage of the care options available to them.”

While three suicide deaths at Applied Ballistics in the past decade are tragic and too many, Clyde said, these cases are not unique to the Lafayette range.

“It’s terrible, but thousands of people come to the range every year. Every range in the country has had an incident like this, and I’ve talked to range owners and they’re all concerned about things like this happening,” said Clyde “But it’s very difficult to go to a shooting range and get one, compared to buying a gun from your neighbor. Indiana has no law against private gun sales lying and misrepresenting themselves will happen. It will be difficult to stop them from doing what they intend to do.”

Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at [email protected].