Phoenix, AZ— For many decades, Arizona only permitted the open carry of firearms, reserving concealed carry solely for sworn peace officers. However, open carry of handguns, in particular, is fraught with risks and is more likely to lead to a breach of peace than firearms carried discreetly. When you openly carry a handgun, you are more likely to encounter unstable individuals who might confront, complain, or even attempt to disarm you. But there’s an even more alarming scenario: imagine someone sees you with a gun, feels threatened, and falsely reports to the police that you pointed the weapon at them. The police respond to find you openly carrying a firearm, and there’s a so-called “victim” willing to lie under oath. In Arizona, aggravated assault laws, especially those involving gun-pointing, are severe, carrying a mandatory five-year prison sentence without parole. Even if you know you did nothing wrong, the trial may not go in your favor. The accuser could perjure themselves, and ...