A presentation on gun violence and gun control at the NIU-Naperville campus was met with impassioned resistance Monday evening.

On the two-month anniversary of the Feb. 14 shootings, the gun-control advocacy group Legal Community Against Violence conducted “a forum to provide the community with education about gun violence and public policy,” according to Nina Vinik, LCAV director. The forum consisted of presentations of statistics on gun violence, as well as emotional pleas for new gun-control policies from both a Catholic priest and a victim of the Virginia Tech shootings.

Father Robert Oldershaw pleaded for new gun-control measures, saying the presence of guns makes violence “so much easier.” Oldershaw said his parish includes first-cousins of Julianna Gehant, one of the Feb. 14 victims.

Virginia Tech graduate Garrett Evans described being shot in the leg and offered a message of hope.

“We have to forgive those who hurt us,” Evans said, quoting hip-hop artist KRS-1. “We need to talk to each other, let each other know how we feel.”

Evans, a Chicago native, called for new measures to prevent gun violence, such as limits on magazine capacities and background checks on all firearm purchases.

When Vinik presented statistics calling for more gun control, the crowd began to bristle. Many in the audience wore pro-gun attire to protest the message of LCAV and its Illinois wing, the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Protesters disputed the accuracy of LCAV’s data with numbers of their own, though both groups claimed their data was scientifically gathered. Vinik presented a statewide poll that LCAV claims shows widespread support for further gun-control measures, but the crowd reacted with laughter.

Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, organized the opposition to LCAV’s presentation.

“We’re here to let everyone know our rights are being infringed,” Pearson said. “None of these proposals does anything about crime.”

Once the floor was opened for comment, several protesters lined up at the microphone, sharing personal experiences and attempting to refute LCAV statistics. At many points, the discussion turned into a tense debate between the event organizers and the audience.

Michael Kalagian spoke of being shot at his job by a disgruntled ex-coworker.

“The one thing that sticks in my mind is, ‘If I had access to a firearm, I could kill that son of a bitch,'” Kalagian said of the moment he was being shot.

Another commentator, Ronnie Rohrback, compared gun-free zones, such as schools, to “fish in a barrel,” expressing concern for her daughter in college.

“The whole idea was education,” said Steve Young, ICPGV representative, speaking one-on-one. “These are single-issue voters, and we heard from some pretty radical people tonight. These people make our case for us; all they have to do is show who they are,” Young said, referring to the protesters.

Young wore a button with a picture of his son Andrew, who was killed at age 19 by an illegally obtained gun.

Garret Evans ended the evening on a positive note, saying he relied on his faith for support.

“We all have a choice to make in that situation,” Evans said. “I asked God why I was spared; I’m spared so I can help others, to be there for others. I learned you gotta forgive.”