"The pain was incredibly horrible," said Owens, who was shot outside a television station in Michigan in 2005.
Owens survived the shooting, though he suffered a spinal cord injury that has affected his mobility.
"I'm one of the lucky people. I was shot point-blank. And, I really have no reason to be standing here in front of you," said Owens.
He now lives in North Carolina and attended an advocacy event in Raleigh on Tuesday morning, organized by gun violence prevention groups North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action, Giffords, and Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
One key focus of remarks was Senate Bill 50, which was passed by the State House and State Senate last year, though vetoed by Gov. Josh Stein.
In North Carolina, people seeking a concealed carry permit must be 21 or older, complete a firearms safety course, pay an $80 fee, meet residency requirements, and pass a background check. Senate Bill 50 would eliminate the training requirement and associated costs and would apply to people 18 and older.
"For an 18-year-old person, to buy a concealed weapon and not have any training or any idea of how to use it, other than maybe the video game they're playing at home, to me is dangerous for the citizens of North Carolina," Owens said. "It means more people like me will be shot."
Ahoskie Mayor Weyling White also voiced concerns, citing personal loss.
"I lost my best friend in 2007, so I feel that heartache," White said. "I lead with that heartache, and this has been a very personal issue for me for most of my adult life."
White took particular issue with the elimination of a training requirement.
"If we're removing that, we are not educating people on how to properly carry their firearm, how to properly know the law, and things of that nature," White said. "And I feel like when we remove that, we open it up for a lot of chaos and inconsistency amongst communities. I see the danger in this moving forward, not just with the age being reduced, but with the lack of education as well."
Currently, 29 other states allow what is commonly referred to as "constitutional carry." Paul Valone, President of the nonprofit Grass Roots North Carolina, would like to see North Carolina become the 30th.
"This removes the need for a governmental permission slip in order for law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms for self-protection. It's important to note that the only people that would be able to avail themselves of this law are people who would otherwise qualify for a concealed handgun permit, should they choose to apply for one," said Valone.
He encourages gun safety training, though he does not believe it should be a requirement.
"What other constitutionally guaranteed freedom are you required to seek mandatory training for?" Valone said. "Are you required to seek mandatory training for voting, for example? I would think that that would be at least as important as your Second Amendment rights."
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To override Stein's veto, the bill would need the support of all House Republicans plus one additional lawmaker; two Republicans initially voted against the measure, and no other lawmakers joined Republicans in backing the legislation.
"We actually had an extensive discussion with Speaker (Destin) Hall just last week on that topic. And Speaker Hall sees that there is a path forward to bringing Senate Bill 50 to the floor for an override vote," Valone said.
The bill initially passed by a veto-proof majority in the Senate. In a statement, Sen. Eddie Settle, one of the bill's primary sponsors, wrote:
"SB50 is simply our 2nd amendment right for law-abiding citizens to enjoy their freedom to carry, without Government interference. The bill is not complicated and should not be made so. SB50 offers concealed carry without a permit to anyone who would otherwise qualify for a permit if they applied, and they will be able to carry in all the same places as if they had a permit. The bill is eliminating the process of requiring a permit. Twenty-nine other states have already implemented these rights."
ABC11 reached out to Sen. Danny Britt and Sen. Warren Daniel, the bill's two other primary sponsors, for comment, though neither has responded as of 5 p.m. Tuesday.