Efforts are being made on the state and national levels to restore the prohibition on high-capacity gun magazines, such as those used in the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona, in order to reduce gun violence across Connecticut and across the country.
Mayor Pedro E. Segarra, who is a member of Mayors Against Gun Violence, issued this statement in support of measures being introduced by the State Legislature and that of Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) on the national level:
“As someone who has personally been affected by gun violence with the murder of my father, I am in strong support of closing loop-holes that help people gain access to high-capacity ammunition and weapons. We need to find every possible way to reduce shootings in urban areas like Hartford and reduce the flow of guns to our City. I agree with the Congressman who says that no one outside of law enforcement and the military needs a gun that shoots dozens of rounds without being reloaded. As an attorney well-versed in Constitutional Law, I support an American’s right to bear arms, but our Founding Fathers did not see the Second Amendment as absolute,” stated Mayor Segarra.
Hartford Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts agrees. “I support this measure 100%. This is all about saving lives. This is not a war zone. There’s no reason for anyone to have automatic weapons in our city or any other city for that matter.”
Congressman Himes’ bill would also bring the nation to the same 10-round-maximum standard currently used in four states and reinstates the ban that was in effect nationally from 1994 to 2004, when it was allowed to expire.
Several advocacy groups support this legislation, including the Brady Campaign, the Violence Policy Center, and Connecticut Against Gun Violence.
