Feb. 2009 -
Gun enthusiast Erik Johnson believes an armed society is a polite society. With a trunk full of ammunition and a new AK in its case, he approaches the Front Sight Firearms Training Institute, with the anticipation that he will be stopped short of the firing line.
"There's a difference of being told we are going to turn you away and being turned away, so I want to see if they actually do it," he said.
Hundreds invested in the dream of the safest community in America -- a housing development on a gun range not far from Pahrump. But when the community failed to materialize, some members of Front Sight filed a class-action lawsuit and won, at least in theory.
Front Sight still owes millions, yet recently in bold print, it announced it doesn't plan to pay. The same letter dubs the members who brought the lawsuit "backstabbing saboteurs" and bans them from the facility.
Johnson holds two Front Sight memberships, yet lately his attempts at class registration have been met with rejection. Today it seems he has again missed his mark.
"I was coming for rifle, but my membership got canceled. I've been terminated as a member," he said.
It's payback, Johnson believes, for his participation in a class action lawsuit settled in 2007. Under the terms of the agreement, Front Sight still owes more than $5 million. $200,000 of it belongs to Johnson.
"Right now I'm supposed to be living on a one acre developed home site out there. I think there's one survey stick still stuck in the ground on what was supposed to be my lot. That's it," he said.
Until Johnson receives his refund, he remains a member according to the settlement agreement, entitled to full benefits including a shot at that rifle class.
So the I-Team tagged along and asked why Johnson was turned away. With the utmost civility, the Front Sight staffer takes our question to his supervisor. Though he refuses to speak to the I-Team, his body language says it all. We are asked to leave.
After eight years of disappointments, Johnson has learned to holster his frustrations, but not his hope. He will again be a welcome member of this polite society, "Why get upset about it? Like I said, hopefully the District Court will enforce its order and we'll be back among friends again. But if it doesn't, I'll miss it."
Late Wednesday, as part of the motion to enforce the settlement, the judge ordered Front Sight's president to appear before him next month with the company's books. In April the court is expected to review whether members like Johnson should have access to the facility.
Front Sight did not respond to a request for comment.
