Several mall visitors have acknowledged packing concealed handguns Dec. 11, when a gunman shot up Clackamas Town Center with stolen semiautomatic rifle. But the increasing number of Oregonians licensed to carry concealed handguns suggests dozens more may have been armed.

Since April, county sheriffs have issued more than 10,600 new concealed handgun licenses to Oregonians, including more than 3,400 in the Portland area.

Police say Oregon law doesn't prohibit bringing a concealed handgun into a shopping mall. But they also say mall owners can prohibit firearms on their property and have gun-toting shoppers tossed for violations.

"It's a matter of a private property owner being able to set the rules for behavior on their property," said Sgt. Adam Phillips, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office spokesman. "If you break those rules, you can be asked to leave. And if you don't leave, that will be considered trespassing and you can be removed, cited or even arrested."

License to carry

Who can get a concealed handgun license in Oregon?

Any U.S. citizen or legal resident, age 21 or older, who has no felony or recent misdemeanor convictions, is not mentally ill and is not wanted for arrest or on pre-trial release.

What else is required?

You must demonstrate competence with a handgun, such as by providing evidence of passing a gun-safety class or serving in the military

What is the process?

Applications are issued and approved through local sheriff's departments

What's the cost?

$50 for the sheriff's department, plus $15 for a background check by Oregon State Police.

How long is the license valid?

Four years

Are licenses issued by other states valid in Oregon?

No.

Source: State of Oregon

But first, mall security officers would have to find out someone was carrying.

Clackamas Town Center has clearly worded "Code of Conduct" signs at all the mall's entrances, warning that firearms are prohibited -- along with bike-riding, skateboarding, roller-skating and smoking. But there are no systems to check for weapons. Customers aren't frisked and they don't have to pass through metal detectors.

Mall officials declined to answer questions about their firearms rules and enforcement.

There is no way to know how many Oregonians own firearms or regularly carry them in public places. In addition, a law that took effect in April keeps police from disclosing who receives a concealed handgun license.

But the overall numbers tell a story of increasing gun presence.

Since 1998, the FBI has run more than 2 million background checks on Oregonians seeking to buy one or more firearms. Because people can also buy second-hand firearms directly from private individuals without a background check, there is no way to know the total number in private ownership.

In the aftermath of the Town Center shooting, off-duty mall security guard Nick Meli recounted how he drew his pistol and aimed it at the gunman, deciding not to shoot for fear of hitting an innocent bystander.

Meli told The Oregonian he was not especially worried about a shooting when he went to the mall with his gun but just followed his routine: "keys, phone, wallet, gun."

"You never know what will happen," he said.

According to Oregon State Police figures, a total of 162,897 Oregonians currently have concealed handgun licenses, about 4 percent of the population or one out of every 25 residents.

That total reflects a 7 percent increase since April.

In the tri-county Portland metro area, there now are 50,206 concealed handgun license-holders, also a 7 percent increase over the April figures.

Multnomah County is leading the rush, recording a 9.7 percent increase. Clackamas and Washington counties recorded 6.5 and 5.3 percent increases, respectively.

At Clackamas Town Center, where an estimated 7,000 holiday shoppers packed the mall Dec. 11, the odds say about 280 of them had concealed handgun licenses, though they may not have been packing guns.

Phillips said there are several places where Oregon concealed handgun license holders can't bring weapons:

Federal facilities such as courthouses, Social Security offices, as well as areas under federal jurisdiction, such as airplanes and secured areas in airports.

National forests marked or posted with signs prohibiting all firearms.

Indian reservations or tribal property, where concealed weapons may not be carried without written permission from a tribal judge. The ban also may apply to certain casinos on tribal lands.

More

Courtrooms, jury rooms, judges' chambers or adjacent areas that the presiding judge determines should be free of firearms to ensure the safety of litigants, court personnel witnesses, and others.

"The last one is posted private property where the owner prohibits firearms possession," Phillips said. "Clackamas Town Center falls into that category."

Phillips said it is important to research the rules before carrying a handgun into any public place. He suggested consulting Oregon law for any updated restrictions.

"If in doubt, contact the facility you plan to visit directly to obtain their policy," Phillips said.

Staff writers Heather Steeves and Lynne Terry contributed to this report.

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