NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s lieutenant governor is encouraging his “fellow Christians” to consider getting a handgun carry permit after a gunman killed nine people at a local community college in southern Oregon.

A witness told authorities the gunman demanded his victims state their religion before he started shooting Thursday.

In a Facebook posting on Friday, Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey encouraged “Christians who are serious about their faith to think about getting a handgun carry permit.”

The Blountville Republican went on to say he believes “it is better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.”

Ramsey provided a link on how to get a handgun permit in Tennessee at the end of his posting.

Conflicting reports are emerging about whether the gunman who killed nine people at an Oregon community college singled out Christians as his victims.

Janet Willis, grandmother of wounded student Anastasia Boylan, said victims who identified themselves as Christian were shot in the head.

However, the mother of another wounded student said the gunman asked his victims if they were religious but did not specifically target them if they were Christians.

Stephanie Salas, mother of 18-year-old survivor Rand McGowan, said the shooter asked about religion to let his victims know they were about to “‘meet their maker.'”

Police have not disclosed any details about a possible motive. The gunman died following a shootout with police.