Sheriff's office admits photo of Santa getting a concealed handgun permit may have been 'insensitive'
EL PASO COUNTY, Colorado - The El Paso (Colorado) County Sheriff's Office said a photo of "Santa" getting a concealed handgun permit may have been insensitive.
The sheriff's office posted the photo on Twitter on December 3 with a Santa emoji and the text: "Guess who came in to receive his Concealed Handgun Permit today? Did you know the El Paso County Sheriff's Office has issued 49,750 Concealed Handgun Permits with another 2,560 awaiting to be issued?"
The sheriff's office was pelted with outrage in the reactions, including people saying:
- Laurie Kilmartin: "Statistically, that gun will most likely be used to kill Mrs Claus."
- Jage750: "I’m sitting here in downtown Oxford, MI, waiting for the candlelight vigil to start to pay tribute to 4 students who were murdered by a handgun smuggled into the school. But by all means, tell kids Santa carries a concealed weapon."
- GLDivittorio: "Good to know that Santa, who only comes in contact with reindeer, elves, Mrs. Claus, and children, has the ability to take one of them out if needed"
Later, the sheriff's office posted: "EPSO intended to highlight our staff in the Concealed Handgun Permit Office, not to be insensitive. Santa correlates to the month of December and we thought he would help to recognize our hard working staff."
The post came just a few days after a Michigan high school student shot and killed 4 classmates with a gun bought by his dad on Black Friday, police said.