Rise In Out-Of-State Gun Permits

Only On Fox: There’s growing concern over Philadelphians granted licenses to carry guns by another state even after Philly denied them.

Many of these permits are coming from Florida and that has police worried. These permits to carry weapons can be obtained over the Internet. They are inexpensive and authorities say they are easy to get. Right now, there's nothing local authorities can do about it, reported Fox 29’s Dave Schratwieser.

Police Officer Ashley Hoggard left the hospital on Monday with a bullet still lodged in his shoulder after being wounded in the line of duty.

As he headed home to recuperate, authorities discovered that one of the guns recovered from the crime scene where he was shot was registered to a Philadelphia man with a gun permit from Florida.

"The problem in Philadelphia is worse than it's ever been in reference to the permits to carry issue by Florida to Pennsylvania residents," says Lt. Lisa King of the Gun Permit Unit.

Investigators tell Fox 29 the man whose gun was recovered was licensed to carry the gun by Florida. He did not have a permit to carry in Philadelphia.

"Well now you can go online and just rent a gun permit. That's basically what you're doing, you're renting one from another city, from another state" says FOP President John McNesby.

Officials have been gathering information for months about Philadelphia residents with Florida gun permits. They've discovered dozens of cases where those guns have been recovered from suspects or crime scenes.

"It's like the Wild Wild West," says McNesby.

The Florida permit to carry is easy to get. You can go online, print out the application, put your thumb print on the application with proof you've taken a gun safety training case and mail it in.

"If we say 'no' in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, it should be 'no'," believes McNesby.

"They should have to apply here in Philadelphia to get their permit," says Lt. King.

FOP President John McNesby and police officials want state lawmakers and the Attorney General to look into putting a stop to this.

"It's ridiculous, it's an insane law and it needs to be fixed," says McNesby.

Philadelphia police also tell Fox 29 they have been unable to get Florida authorities to give them a list of all the Philadelphia residents with Florida gun permits. Police say they would also support moves to close the legal loopholes here.