gun violence Archives

Philadelphia bans guns in city rec spaces; even legal permit holders will have ‘problem with me,’ DA says

Posted on September 30, 2022September 30, 2022 by Judith E. Ashton

Philadelphia is banning guns at city recreational facilities amid a surge in gun violence that recently claimed the life of a recreational employee struck by a stray bullet during a shootout near where she worked.

Major Jim Kenney signed an executive order Tuesday prohibiting the possession of firearms and other deadly weapons at indoor and outdoor rec center buildings, fields, playgrounds and pools, a move that could ignite legal challenges. The law goes into effect immediately.

“This gives them some protection, some peace of mind, some ability to call the authorities when some knucklehead decides they want to bring a gun into a rec center, and they see it, that’s part of what this is about,” Kenney said during a news briefing.

Since 2019, there have been 300 gun violence incidents at city parks and recreation facilities, said Kathryn Ott Lovell, commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.

PHILLY POLICE SEARCH FOR MAN ACCUSED OF HOME INVASION, SEXUAL ASSAULT OF SENIOR CITIZEN

Philadelphia Major Jim Kenney talks to reporters Tuesday about an executive order banning guns and other deadly weapons from city recreation facilities, including rec center buildings, courts, fields, playgrounds, and pools.
(Fox Philadelphia)

“We are banning weapons from recreation facilities to protect the children and families of Philadelphia, and our treasured staff, from gun violence and to restore a sense of safety to our playgrounds, pools, recreational courts, fields, and rec centers,” Lovell said in a statement.

Philadelphia County District Attorney Larry Krasner said the order will allow his office to charge people who bring firearms into restricted areas with trespassing in addition to a charge for possession of firearms and other crimes committed.

“Even if you have a permit to carry, and you go on those premises, then you’ve

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Some North Carolina schools now have locked-up AR-15s for law enforcement. Gun-safety experts are appalled

Posted on August 13, 2022August 13, 2022 by Judith E. Ashton

Sheriff Buddy Harwood and Lt. Coy Phillips meet with school system administration July 13 to brief them on the enhanced security procedures coming to Madison County Schools in 2022-23.

MARSHALL, NC – A North Carolina sheriff’s office has placed locked-up AR-15 rifles on a school district‘s six campuses as an added security measure for the coming school year in response to the Uvalde, Texas, mass school shooting.

It’s a move the North Carolina sheriff says will help law enforcement respond to possible acts of violence at the schools. But experts told USA TODAY the idea was unlikely to work and is the wrong approach to curbing gun violence.

Madison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood has promoted the idea as the nation reels from the botched law-enforcement response in Uvalde, Texas. The tragedy revealed systemic failures and poor decision-makingand responding police disregarded active-shooter trainings, according to a Texas state house report.

“Hopefully, we’ll never need it, but I want my guys to be as prepared as prepared can be,” Harwood said.

If an active-shooter situation occurs, the sheriff’s office has stored semi-automatic weapons in locked safes at each Madison County school. The safes also contain extra magazines, ammunition and breaching tools, Harwood said.

FILE - AR-15-style rifles are on display at Burbank Ammo & Guns in Burbank, California, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) — FILE – AR-15-style rifles are on display at Burbank Ammo & Guns in Burbank, California, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

“In the event we have someone barricaded in a door, we won’t have to wait on the fire department,” he added. “We’ll have those tools to be able to breach that door if needed. I do not want to have to run back out to the car to grab an AR, because that’s time lost.”

But national gun-safety experts told USA TODAY they disagreed with the idea.

Allison Anderman, senior counsel and

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California OKs private civil actions against gun-makers and dealers

Posted on July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 by Judith E. Ashton

Governor Gavin Newsom believes the US Supreme Court has no choice but to let California’s law stand, since it did not strike down a similar law in Texas.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (CN) — Taking shots at Texas and the US Supreme Court in hopes of also protecting Californians, Governor Gavin Newsom signed several gun safety bills into law Friday.

The authors of SB 1327, state Senators Robert Hertzberg of Ventura and Anthony Portintino of San Fernando, modeled their bill after SB 8, a new Texas law that allows individuals to sue anyone who provides or helps in the procurement of abortion services for up to $10,000 .

Newsom believes the connection will help SB 1327 survive any legal challenges up to the nation’s highest court.

SB 1327 focuses on firearms that are already illegal in California and allows individuals to sue gun dealers or manufacturers that sold, transferred or made an illegal weapon used to commit a crime.

“Our message to the criminals spreading illegal weapons in California is simple: You have no safe harbor here in the Golden State,” Newsom said at a bill-signing event. “While the Supreme Court rolls back reasonable gun safety measures, California continues adding new ways to protect the lives of our kids. California will use every tool at its disposal to save lives, especially in the face of an increasing extreme Supreme Court.”

Newsom said the Supreme Court opened the door when it allowed SB 8 to stand, and California will use the opportunity to protect its citizens. The high court has delegated more authority to the states, and Newsom said it could not in principle strike down SB 1327 if it allows SB 8 to stand.

Hertzberg said the newly signed law will help to make California schools, streets and communities safer and

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New California gun control law signed

Posted on July 27, 2022July 27, 2022 by Judith E. Ashton

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California punched back Friday against two recent landmark US Supreme Court decisions as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a contentious, first-in-the-nation gun control law patterned after a Texas anti-abortion law and urged other states to follow suit.

Newsom stitched the two hot-button topics together in approving a law allowing people to sue anyone who distributes illegal assault weapons, parts that can be used to build weapons, guns without serial numbers or .50-caliber rifles.

“We’re sick and tired of being on the defense in this movement,” he said.

“It’s time to put them on the defense. You cannot sell, you cannot manufacture, you cannot transfer these illegal weapons of war and mass destruction in the state of California. And if you do, there are 40 million people that can collect $10,000 from you, and attorney fees, for engaging in that illegal activity.”

Lawmakers patterned the bill, at Newsom’s request, after a Texas law allowing citizens to sue anyone who provides or assists in providing an abortion. The Supreme Court gave preliminary approval to the Texas law, but California’s law will automatically be invalidated if the Texas law is ever ruled unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court’s support for the Texas law was “a terrible decision,” Newsom said. However, “if they’re going to use this framework to put women’s lives at risk, we’re going to use it to save people’s lives here in the state of California.”

Newsom also placed $30,000 worth of full-page advertisements in three Texas newspapers Friday criticizing what he said is Gov. Greg Abbott’s hypocrisy on gun safety. The ads parrot a comment by Abbott about children’s right to life but substitute “gun violence” where he said “abortion.”

A combination of gun owner advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union have criticized Newsom for creating what they said

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Newsom signs law allowing civil suits against gun dealers, manufacturers

Posted on July 17, 2022July 17, 2022 by Judith E. Ashton

The bill allows anyone to sue a gun dealer or manufacturer that sells or makes a gun already illegal under California law.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — California Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed one of two bills passed by the Legislature allowing private rights of action against gun dealers and manufacturers — strengthening the Golden State’s already strict gun laws while taking a swipe at a similar law in Texas that goes after abortion.

Lawmakers passed two bills involving private rights of action this term — Assembly Bill 1594 and Senate Bill 1327 — though Newsom has so far only signed AB 1594. Both pieces of legislation were modeled after Texas Senate Bill 8 which allows individuals to sue anyone who performs or aids in the obtainment of an abortion.

“To the victims of gun violence and their families: California stands with you. The gun industry can no longer hide from the devastating harm their products cause,” Newsom said when signing the bill. “Our kids, families and communities deserve streets free of gun violence and gun makers must be held accountable for their role in this crisis. Nearly every industry is held liable when people are hurt or killed by their products — guns should be no different.”

AB 1594 would allow individuals, groups, communities, the California attorney general and others to file a civil suit against a gun dealer or manufacturer that sells or produces a firearm that creates an unreasonable risk of harm to public health and safety, mainly assault firearms and other firearms not allowed under state law. The law also bars guns from being marketed to youth.

The American Civil Liberties Union has voiced concern about both pieces of legislation and sent an open letter to the Legislature and Newsom arguing that private rights of

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