Wicomico County Council to vote on a ‘2nd Amendment sanctuary’ resolution

SALISBURY, Md. – The Wicomico County Council is expected to vote tomorrow on a resolution that if passed would make the area a Second Amendment Preservation County.

This all comes after Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis announced that he would not be backing what he considers to be unconstitutional gun laws.

Members of the NAACP, the Lower Progressive Caucus and other groups are pressing council members to vote against the resolution. They have formed the Wicomico For Common Sense Gun Safety Coalition to let county officials know that they feel the 2A Sanctuary resolution is dangerous.

The group says they’ll be gathering at the government building tomorrow at 10 AM to let their voices be heard and they’re inviting the community to join them.

They say the black community was never part of the conversation when it comes to this resolution and that the resolution fails to address the overwhelming disparities of gun ownership.

“We have several different organizations that feel as though that the County and the Sheriff missed an opportunity to have this conversation with the black community and minority gun owners,” said Amber Green, a member of the Wicomico For Common Sense Gun Safety Coalition.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Mike Lewis is arguing that this is all about keeping everyone safe. He says now more than ever Wicomico County officials need to ensure that all citizens are properly armed in order to protect themselves.

“I can’t be everywhere, our deputies can’t be everywhere and most of the time we show up after the incident has already occurred,” said Sheriff Lewis.

“So, I want people to understand they have a fundamental right to protect themselves, to protect their families and to protect their homes,” said Lewis.

Sheriff Lewis adds he will do whatever takes to make sure that second amendment rights are preserved and he says this is all about self-preservation. Meanwhile, the coalition tells us they want to see efforts in funding for black gun owner shops and more.

Wicomico County Councilman Josh Hastings also released a statement on the resolution saying: “I will not vote for a gun sanctuary and especially not one that requires County lawmakers to determine what is or is not unconstitutional. That’s the role of a judge not a County Council member.”