Tenn. Lt. Governor Calls on Christians to Arm Themselves Following Oregon Shooting

Tennessee's Lieutenant Governor has encouraged Christian residents in the country to purchase a firearm after the recent shooting in Roseburg, Oregon that left nine dead.

Tennesee's Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey said in a recent statement that following the shooting at Umpqua Commuity College in Roseburg where Christians were reportedly targeted, he suggests all Christians who are "serious about their faith" obtain a permit for carrying a handgun.

"The recent spike in mass shootings across the nation is truly troubling. Whether the perpetrators are motivated by aggressive secularism, jihadist extremism or racial supremacy, their targets remain the same: Christians and defenders of the West," Ramsey wrote in a recent Facebook post following the shooting.

"While this is not the time for widespread panic, it is a time to prepare. I would encourage my fellow Christians who are serious about their faith to think about getting a handgun carry permit. I have always believed that it is better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it. Our enemies are armed. We must do likewise," he added.

Multiple reports from last week's shooting at Umpqua Community College indicate the shooter, 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer, reportedly asked students and faculty if they were Christian before executing them.

This week, media outlets report that Harper-Mercer, who reportedly had over one dozen firearms in his possession, was discharged from the U.S. Army in 2008 after attempting to take his own life.

An initial investigation into the shooting also found angry social media posts written by Harper-Mercer that discussed a hatred for organized religion and an admiration for other mass shooters.