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I’d never held a gun before walking into The Shooting Gallery, a firing range and gun store in Orlando just six kilometres from Pulse nightclub. It’s a little more than 48 hours since Omar Mateen unleashed a torrent of bullets, killing 49 and wounding another 53.

A portly man with dark hair stands behind a glass case full of sidearms and ammunition. A dozen rifles and machine guns hang on the wall. He points to a waiver at the end of a form and tells me to sign it. It’s just two paragraphs long.

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He asks me what I want and I look at my notes — an AR-15.

“That one,” I say, pointing at the wall, recognizing the large black firearm from the news stories.

Chris — who later declines to tell me his last name — runs me through the basics: Never point it toward yourself; when you put it down always keep it aimed toward the targets. Here’s how you grip it, finger poised around the trigger and your left hand for stability.

Five minutes and I’m completely alone in the shooting range. No supervision or instructor required.