In the town of Spanish Fork, Utah, gun rights activists are organizing a “Run 4 Guns” 5K race. To be held on September 21, the race invites participants to carry their firearms openly.
Participants are encouraged to bring any firearms they legally own to celebrate the state’s open carry laws. Under Utah law, open carry of assault rifles and shotguns is legal with a permit, and handguns may be carried openly without a license as long as they are two actions away from being fired. Participants may bring ammunition to the race as long as their firearms are holstered or the ammunition is in unattached magazines.
Organizers are touting the event as the country’s first “open carry run,” and are encouraging other communities to organize similar events. A commercial for the event asks participants to “stand boldly with those who believe in liberty, show responsibility, and give back” and ends dramatically with shots being fired at the screen.
In addition to a 3.1 mile race, there will also be a half-mile “armed dash.” According to the event’s website, its goal is “the preservation of the 2nd Amendment” and to call for “the protection and expansion of the right to responsible gun ownership.” Organizer Macgregor Whiting told the Salt Lake City Weekly that they hope to donate proceeds from the event to a charity that supports gun victims in Utah, but are still searching for one that is not an “anti-gun” organization.
Utah does not require background checks for gun sales between unlicensed individuals, licenses for gun owners, or impose any waiting period for a gun purchase.