A New Mexico judge has banned guns in some parts of Albuquerque following fatal shootings of several children.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge David Urias has allowed a gun ban in the city’s parks and playgrounds. He previously rejected arguments that gun-free “sensitive” places apply only to government sites.
Urias noted that the Supreme Court already recognizes playgrounds as sensitive locations. His ruling suggests that further locations where children congregate might be subject to the restrictions.
“Given the Supreme Court’s recognition of schools as sensitive places and the sound analogy between schools and playgrounds…the court finds that the recognition of what constitutes a sensitive place could very well be determined by the type of function occurring at those locations as well as whether a vulnerable population — such as children — utilize such locations,” he wrote in his ruling.
This comes after Democratic State Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an order suspending the open and concealed carry laws that were implemented in Bernalillo County and Albuquerque.
“Today, I signed an executive order declaring gun violence a public health emergency. To my fellow citizens: get loud. Step up. Demand change: from your neighbors, from your friends, from your communities, from your elected leaders. Enough is enough,” she wrote on the social media platform X.
However, the order was met with pushback from pro-gun activists and even from local officials, who vowed not to enforce it.
“As an officer of the court, I cannot and will not enforce something that is clearly unconstitutional. This office will continue to focus on criminals of any age that use guns in the commission of a crime,” Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a joint statement with Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Police Chief Harold Medina.
Discussions on gun control legislation have been a hot-button issue recently after a series of mass shootings in the country. Since then, Biden has reiterated his rhetoric against the 2nd Amendment.
During a speech earlier this year, the president stated unequivocally, “We’re going to ban assault weapons,” adding, “We banned it once, we’re going to do it again, and the number of bullets that can be in a clip.”
