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American Morning

Interview with Pam Hubbard, Erin Kaltenbaugh

Aired August 06, 2002 - 08:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In Louisiana now, where a serial killer in Baton Rouge still remains at large, DNA evidence has linked the murders of three women in that city over the past 10 months to the same man. And police are investigating now dozens of unsolved murders over the past decade for the possibility of a link to the killer today.
Louisiana's governor has reminded women that they have a right to own a gun and they should learn how to use it. Let's talk about it.

From Baton Rouge this morning, with us now is Pam Hubbard with the Louisiana Shooting Association and Erin Kaltenbaugh, an LSU student who's taking the governor's advice.

Good morning to both of you.

PAM HUBBARD, LOUISIANA SHOOTING ASSOCIATION: Good morning.

ERIN KALTENBAUGH, LSU STUDENT: Good morning.

HEMMER: Erin, update me on your status right now. Have you purchased the gun? Are you about to do it or what's the status?

KALTENBAUGH: I have not. I've only been once to shoot. You know, I just kind of thought it might be a good idea to purchase one, to take the next step for security. But I'm still unsure about whether or not I can handle the responsibility of it yet.

HEMMER: So the consideration, then, is whether or not you want to go through with it in order to handle the responsibility?

KALTENBAUGH: Yes.

HEMMER: And right now you're leaning in which direction, Erin?

KALTENBAUGH: I'm really caught in the middle. I mean I feel that I need to be very confident if I'm carrying around a weapon like that because if I were to use it in an attack situation, you know, I need to be sure that I would use it and that the attacker wouldn't be able to get it away from me and use it against me.

HEMMER: Are you thinking you might be safer packing a gun?

KALTENBAUGH: Possibly, you know, for situations where I'm alone at night and things like that.

HEMMER: Pam, you hear her concerns. How common is that? HUBBARD: That is a very common concern. It's a very real concern. And people have to be sure that they know how to use a firearm. I prefer to think of it as a tool. It's just like any other tool and you have to know how to use it before you can use it effectively. And you have to be able to use it safely. And I'm glad to see that she's very concerned and she realizes that it is a responsibility to own a gun, because it is a tremendous responsibility.

HEMMER: Pam, I want to...

HUBBARD: Especially...

HEMMER: I want to put up the words of your governor. I didn't mean to cut you off there. I apologize about that, though.

HUBBARD: Go ahead.

HEMMER: The governor, Mike Foster, just for our viewers' sake here, he was quoted as saying now, "Most people don't ever want to use a gun to protect themselves. That's the last thing they want to do. But if you know how and you have a situation with some fruitcake running around like they've got right now, it sure can save you a lot of grief."

How so in the grief column, Pam?

HUBBARD: Well, if someone is in a situation where they are at risk and they don't have any other way to defend themselves, especially a woman, a small woman, maybe, who is about to be overpowered. If she has the ability and knowledge to use a firearm effectively, even if it's just firing it into the ground, she may save her life. And that is our responsibility. Our police force is excellent, but they can't be everywhere all the time. And we have a responsibility to take care of ourselves.

HEMMER: Do you think the governor is encouraging gun use or is he trying to remind people that that is an option under state law?

HUBBARD: I think that he is reminding people that we have an option to arm ourselves and do it within the legal parameters of the state. The concealed carry law was passed here in 1966. There have been over 13,000 concealed carry permits issued since that time. One of the big concerns was that we would end up with high noon on the streets of Louisiana. That has not happened. There are no statistics to show that there have been any accidental shootings, injuries or crimes committed by someone who holds a concealed carry permit.

HEMMER: I want to get back to Erin here.

What do you hear from your friends and other young women in Louisiana, knowing that this DNA has been linked to the same man?

KALTENBAUGH: I think it makes it a lot scarier. If it was just different people murdering these girls, then, you know, maybe the crimes were related and it was over emotional issues. But this just seems to be so random and we all feel so vulnerable right now. But, you know, everybody's scared but we're trying to channel that fear and, you know, use it towards becoming, you know, defending ourselves and things like that.

HEMMER: What else are you doing, Erin?

KALTENBAUGH: Well, I have pepper spray. I don't go anywhere alone at night anymore. By roommate and I are always together now. And that's really about it, and just being very cautious and always looking around and not talking to people I don't know.

HEMMER: Yes.

Pam, to you, a final question here.

HUBBARD: Sure.

HEMMER: Pam Kinamore, one of the victims in this case, you knew her, right?

HUBBARD: No, I didn't actually know her. I had been in her shop. I didn't realize it at the time until someone told me where her shop was.

HEMMER: Well, you know the circumstances...

HUBBARD: There had...

HEMMER: ... of her death. Do you think had she owned a firearm she'd be alive?

HUBBARD: I really don't know and I can't answer that because I don't know about her ability to use a firearm. I think that being cognizant of what's going on around you -- and there are a lot of options to take courses in Baton Rouge right now, and I'm sure in other communities. The YMCA is offering them, churches are offering them, the women's hospital is offering them.

The thing is you have to refuse to be a victim. You have to know what's going on around you. You have to make sure that your house is locked when you're inside, your car is locked. And I'm glad to see people being aware of what's going on.

I don't, I can't answer the question about her being able to protect herself because I don't know -- a lot of people don't know whether they could use a firearm.

I've never been in that situation. I think I could. If it was to protect me or my loved ones, I really believe I could.

HEMMER: Thanks for sharing.

HUBBARD: Sure.

HEMMER: Hang in there in Louisiana, OK?

HUBBARD: Sure will.

HEMMER: Pam Hubbard, Erin Kaltenbaugh, a student at LSU. Many thanks.

HUBBARD: Thank you.

KALTENBAUGH: Thank you.

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