This Texas-based Company can turn your everyday items into bulletproof shields.
“My mission is to save lives,” says Billy Gibbons, owner of Armor Upfitters. As a retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he initially began his business making bullet-proof outfitters for vehicles, but soon realized the demand for personal tactical gear that everybody could use.
“We’re giving tools to average citizens so that they can protect themselves should they find themselves in an active shooter situation,“ said Gibbons. Founded in 2019, the company has manufactured many common items for homes and schools, such as bullet-proof curtains, seat cushions, skateboards, helmets, school STOP signs, and even wall art.
Gibbons said the items were made as “stylish alternatives to bulletproof glass.” This is so people can protect themselves in case of house break-ins or drive-by shootings. According to the veteran, customers can simply hang the shields on the wall and when needed use them to protect themselves.
According to Gibbons, his company is unique because not only does it provide gear for law enforcement and the government, but also “for parents, small business owners, churches, temples, schools.”
As a concerned father himself, Gibbons wants the shields used in schools to look like a normal part of the school, like they already belong there. “I don’t want the kids to think about gunfire. I don’t want kids to even think about this. That’s why our shields are decorative. We want it to be protective gear that the children don’t necessarily notice or that even the parents at the schools notice,” Gibbons explained.
Gibbons has been working with colleges and universities to develop a new technology that can make Armor Upfitters’ shields lightweight and easy to use.
“Having been shot, having been to war, having been a victim of 911 and other terrorist activities – many times I’ve faced very dangerous situations and so I make this gear as though I were wielding it or it was for my children.”
The veteran hopes to get more protective shields into schools and public spaces in the future. His bullet-proof wall paintings are now in over 20 independent school districts and about 300 schools.
More information on Armor Upfitters can be found at www.armorupfitters.com
