Florida sheriff urges residents to get guns, be prepared for mass shootings

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A sheriff in Winter Haven, Florida, is asking people in his county to get a gun and be ready to fight back in case of a mass shooting.

"Become proficient. Get a concealed firearms license and carry it. And if you need to shoot somebody, shoot them a lot," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told WFTS.

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The sheriff went on to say that people are responsible for their safety until authorities arrived at the scene.

Judd also said that people who carry out mass shootings are ready to die the moment they decide to attack.

Earlier this month, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey gained national attention when he posted a video on Facebook urging residents with valid concealed carry permits to be ready at all times.

He cited terrorist attacks around the world as the reason to be prepared.

Watch: Sheriff Wayne Ivey discusses gun preparedness

“The solution is if you're going to carry a gun, then go practice to save your life with it. If you're not someone who's comfortable carrying a gun, or don't believe you would be comfortable defending your life, then look for an alternative solution,” Ivey said, adding that the alternative could be pepper spray, a stun gun, or other type of weapon.

The controversial video was shared on Facebook more than 9,000 times.

Some law enforcement officials disagree with the advice given by Ivey and Judd.

“That's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous,” resident Mary Dailey told WFTS. “I'm all for your right to own a gun if you are a responsible person, but you should have to prove it.”

Judd said that running and hiding is not a bad option, but told WFTS “You’re responsible for protecting yourself until we arrive.”

“You can either stand there, as we’ve seen many times before, and be a victim, or you can fight back,” he said

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