A Pennsylvania judge ruled on Tuesday that Pittsburgh’s recently passed gun-control measures violate state law.
In his ruling, Allegheny County judge Joseph M. James said the city’s ordinances were in plain opposition to a state preemption law which prohibits localities from passing their own gun laws.
“The Uniform Firearms Act is a comprehensive statute that evidences an intent by the Legislature to preempt the entire field of firearms and ammunition across the state of Pennsylvania,” Judge James wrote.
The Pittsburgh ordinances restricted the use of certain rifles, like the AR-15, within city limits, banned the use of magazines which hold more than 10 rounds, and creates a process to confiscate firearms from those accused of being a threat to themselves or others. They were passed in the wake of the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue last year, which took the lives of 11 people.
The gun-control ordinances faced immediate opposition from gun-rights activists, who launched several lawsuits. A suit filed by Pennsylvania-based Firearm Owners Against Crime, three Pennsylvania residents, the Firearm Policy Coalition, and the Firearm Policy Foundation led to the judge’s decision. The groups applauded James’s ruling. – READ MORE