Constitutional carry is now the law in Louisiana.
As of Thursday, Louisiana gun owners may now carry a concealed gun on their person without first obtaining permit through training. Although state law now allows permitless concealed carry, law enforcement and gun experts say getting a concealed carry license is a must for gun owners.
"Knowing what's going on is very key," concealed carry instructor Dave Newman told WWL's Tommy Tucker. "You can't assume what's going on."
Newman says it's imperative that gun owners receive situational awareness and justifiable shooting training before they begin carrying a concealed weapon.
"Yeah, you need to know how to use your gun, but know how to use your gun is one thing," Newman said. "Knowing when to use that gun and not be in the defendant box in the courtroom is a big issue."
Newman says in a courtroom, the jury will have to decide if the shooter was justified in pulling and firing his gun.
"Say, someone attacks you, you shoot them, and they die. There's no question that there was a homicide. There's no question who committed the homicide. Now, it's a question of what is justifiable," Newman said. "If you don't understand the justifiable use of force, you could be in jail the rest of your life."
Louisiana State Trooper Shelby Mayfield says a Louisiana concealed carry permit also provides gun owners some legal benefits.
"One key benefit of the Louisiana permit is the ability to carry concealed across state lines," Mayfield said. "Thanks to reciprocity agreements, the Louisiana permit is recognized in 37 states. The Louisiana constitutional carry law only applies to residents of Louisiana within Louisiana. Therefore, without a permit, you cannot carry concealed in most other states. "
Mayfield adds that getting your concealed carry permit also gives you some legal protection in the event you have to use your gun.
"Senate Bill 2 also provides limited liability for authorized individuals, defined as those individuals holding a valid Louisiana concealed handgun permit, in cases of self-defense," Mayfield said.
