Latest local news, weather and high school sports for Toledo area

Those unfamiliar with Ohio law might assume that anyone who legally gets a gun has gone through a background check, or at least registered the firearm, that's not the case in Ohio.

“The only gun you need to register is if you buy from a gun dealer, then you register you're gun.  Short of that there's no more requirement to go get a handgun," Toledo Police spokesman Sgt. Joe Heffernan said.

This means that person-to-person gun sales often leave little to no paper trail.

“It's perfectly legal to sell to anyone, to a neighbor, as long as he's not a felon and he's over 21 it’s not recorded anywhere,” Owner of Cleland’s Outdoor World Theresa Cleland.

According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, those considered “a fugitive”, under indictment, or members of a variety of other categories are also prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm.

The group also says “Mail order sales or other transfers of firearms between individuals in different states are illegal.”  

Where a greater number of regulations are enforced is among those that want to carry a weapon and conceal it.

“You have to go through a 12-hour course…once you get a certificate you have to pass a written and shooting test,” Cleland said.

Those requirements, however, are only imposed on a portion of those that want to carry a gun.

“Open carry is legal [in Ohio] but I wouldn't recommend it because it’s not accepted,” Cleland told WNWO.

Though not encouraged, Toledo police confirm it’s not against the law to publically carry an unregistered gun as long as it’s not concealed and the person is not committing illegal acts.

But, law enforcement officials and gun store owner Theresa Cleland agree that guns and related laws are not the problem, it’s those behind the barrel that are causing problems.  

“You can make laws until the cows come home, but the criminals don't care about the laws. Until we impose enough punishment to stop them it’s going to keep on going,” Cleland said.

What do you think? Do Ohio’s gun laws need to change or is it about the people carrying weapons? You can sound off below and on our Facebook Fanpage.