New York Daily News – by NINA GOLGOWSKI
You better watch out…
A Georgia gun range is getting fired up for Christmas while offering photos with a gun-toting Santa Claus.
Gun lovers of all ages will be able to sit with a heat-packing St. Nick or hold their own firearm supplied by the Sandy Springs Gun Club and Range as part of a charity event Saturday.
“Any time we have an opportunity to do something fun with our patrons and give back to the community … any time we can combine the two, we get really excited,” the range’s co-owner Robyn Marzullo told the Daily News.
The variety of firearms supplied by the range, located just north of Atlanta, are all inspected, unloaded and deactivated for safety precautions. Personal firearms brought from home won’t be allowed in the picture, stressed Marzullo, who operates the range with her sister.
Among the options for weapons are an AK-47, AR-15 or FN-SCAR-17, WSBTV reported.
Those allowed to handle a firearm, however, must be at least 18 years of age, said Marzullo.
“Children are able to sit with the Santa, it’s a non-shooting event,” she added. “If they’re not comfortable with a firearm in the picture they definitely don’t have to.”
Along with spreading holiday cheer, Saturday’s event aims to collect non-perishable goods for a local charity, the Sandy Springs Community Assistance Center.
The photos are otherwise free and come with a complimentary magnet photo — or access to the photo online.
Despite what Marzullo expects to be an exciting affair, which has already been warmly received, she recognized that there will be some scrooges out there.
“I think any time you think outside the box, there could be people who have different opinions, but I’d say that the overall feedback has been really, really positive and we’re just really excited,” she said.
She further argued that safety will always be their “top priority.”
“That’s why we opened this business, to learn about gun safety,” she said. “We’re not going to do anything to negate that or go against that belief.”
“Children are able to sit with the Santa, it’s a non-shooting event,” she added.”
As long as the cops don’t show up. Santa COULD just be a ‘terrorist’, you know.
And that DEFINITELY looks like an ‘assault’ rifle.