‘Muslim-free’ gun range closes in Oklahoma

Owners of an Oklahoma gun range that once claimed to be “Muslim-free” have announced that they will be selling the property after facing a lawsuit from a local Muslim resident that has lasted several years.

In a Facebook post, the owners of Save Yourself Gun Club announced the sale of their two-acre property located in Muskogee County.

The business announced its closure earlier this year, telling customers that all memberships would expire in April.

“WE THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING OUR CUSTOMERS AND FRIENDS. ITS BEEN A PLEASURE!” it wrote at the time.

Save Yourself Gun Club first began downsizing after the lawsuit against it closed.

Leaders of a Muslim community near the gun range began celebrating the move last week. Adam Soltani, director of the Council on American Islamic Relations’ Oklahoma chapter, shared his thoughts on the closure on Facebook.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? Looks like hate does not pay after all,” Soltani wrote. “The same gun range we took to court in a federal lawsuit for banning Muslims by declaring itself a ‘Muslim-Free Establishment’ is no more.”

The shooting range first gained national attention in 2015 when it posted a sign stating, “This privately owned business is a Muslim free establishment!!! We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone!!! Thank you!”

Raja’ee Fatihah, a local Muslim man, filed a lawsuit against the business’s owners several months later, claiming that he was turned away when he attempted to shoot there, according to Star-Telegram.

A lawyer representing the gun range’s owners said in response that Fatihah had “threatened people, (and) came in with an agenda to create a controversy,” the news outlet reported.

The legal fight was dismissed in April 2019, the Star-Telegram noted.

“Good bye and good riddance, Oklahoma is a better place in spite of the hate you tried to propagate,” Soltani said.

It is unclear if there is a buyer for the property at this time.