Local volunteer fire department to raffle AR-15 for fundraiser

ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKRC) - A local volunteer firefighters association is holding its annual gun raffle fundraiser, but the fundraiser is raising eyebrows since it falls just days after a shooting that claimed 21 lives at a Texas elementary school.

According to a post on the St. Clair Township Fire Department Facebook page, participants could win an AR-15 rifle or semi-automatic pistol with a sight attached. The group is giving away 300 tickets and charging $10 for each.

Opinion in St. Clair Township was mixed.

"I'm always down for an AR," said Travis Quick.

"I think they should ban them. Ban all assault weapons period," said Eric Vogt.

St. Clair Fire Chief Larry Anglin refused to answer questions about the raffle when approached Tuesday and said the department, which is promoting the raffle, wouldn't be making any statements.

Some took aim at the firefighters association for holding the raffle right after the Texas school shooting.

"I don't agree with it. I mean, I understand they're trying to make money and stuff, but it seems like there's other things they could raffle off," said Fred Henson.

"It's definitely tragic and the timing isn't the best, but it's something that's never gonna go away," said Quick.

Gun giveaways are nothing new for the St. Clair Firefighters Association. The raffle is held every year and Local 12 found a ticket for one dating as far back as 2015.

Gary Hartman said he's entered the raffle for the past three years but hasn't yet won.

"There ain't never been no trouble over it," Hartman said. "Nobody's ever killed nobody with one of them guns."

But some fear that there's a first time for everything.

"They don't know what anybody's gonna do with that gun," said Henson.

In its Facebook post, the fire department said raffle winners have to be 18 or over and a resident of Ohio or an adjacent state to receive the AR-15 and an Ohio resident aged 21 or over to receive the pistol.