| Dr. Ignatius Piazza runs a large firearms | | | | |
| training resort in the Nevada desert. The | | | | Dr. Ignatius Piazza and the Front Sight |
| Front Sight Firearms Training Institute is a | | | | Firearms Training Institute may not be the |
| roughly 45 minute drive from the Las Vegas | | | | first person that springs to mind of school |
| strip. Dr. Ignatius Piazza, a former | | | | administrators when considering how to shape |
| chiropractor who opened the institute in | | | | school policy after the disastrous Virginia |
| 1996, asserts that he has trained tens of | | | | Tech shootings, during which the infamous |
| thousands of people to correctly operate | | | | Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and then |
| firearms. The institute offers training | | | | himself using two handguns. While it might |
| courses in handguns, rifles, shotguns, rifles | | | | seem counterintuitive to combat gun violence |
| and submachine guns. The institute also | | | | with guns, Dr. Ignatius Piazza contends that |
| offers training in martial arts and other | | | | his idea is not without precedent. "My offer |
| forms of self-defense. Dr. Ignatius Piazza is | | | | is not a new idea," says Ignatius Piazza. |
| himself a certified combat master in four | | | | "In the early 70's, Israel was faced with |
| different firearms, making him more than | | | | much greater problems of armed terrorist |
| qualified to offer training courses. Dr. | | | | attacks on schools. The cry for more gun |
| Ignatius Piazza is also the creator of a | | | | control was heard then too, but Israel very |
| reality show airing on Versus (VS) network | | | | carefully analyzed all possible options |
| entitled "Front Sight Challenge". Piazza | | | | before adopting the proactive position of |
| hired a producer and director himself and | | | | arming and training their teachers. School |
| sold the completed product to Versus network | | | | shootings stopped and terrorists looked for |
| after three months of filming. The show | | | | easier targets." |
| places 40 law enforcement officers in | | | | |
| competition against 40 citizens aged 15 to | | | | There is evidence that a gun in the hand of a |
| 65. The competitions on the show are | | | | teacher will stop an armed attacker. The |
| designed to test the contestant's skills with | | | | vice-principal of a school in Pearl, |
| a variety of firearms, including handguns, | | | | Mississippi used his handgun to stop and |
| rifles, shotguns and submachine guns. | | | | detain an armed killer until the police |
| | | | arrived. Dr. Piazza adds, "It seems obvious |
| The solution offered by Dr. Ignatius Piazza | | | | that armed and trained staff members inside |
| and the Front Sight Firearms Training | | | | the school are in a better position to |
| Institute is free firearms training to any | | | | identify the attackers and do something |
| school administrator, teacher, or full time | | | | immediately to resolve the situation. It is |
| staff member designated as school Safety | | | | much harder for police, who arrive on the |
| Monitors. Front Sight will accept for | | | | scene too late to stop the killing." |
| training up to three staff members from each | | | | |
| school, college or university. Applicants | | | | In light of all this information, Dr. |
| must submit a letter requesting training on | | | | Ignatius Piazza has stepped up and offered |
| school letterhead signed by the top school | | | | help to schools and school administrators. |
| district official and designating the | | | | Those that would take him up are free to do |
| applicant as the school's Safety Monitor. | | | | so. |