Federal court rules against Del. gun lobby on injunction

DELAWARE – Following the Nashville school shooting that killed six people earlier this week, a Delaware judge has ruled against gun lobbying groups that are challenging the state’s current gun laws.

Monday evening, Judge Richard G. Andrews denied a preliminary injunction sought by the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association against the state’s common-sense bans on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.

“This week’s heartbreaking massacre in Nashville, including the murder of three children, underscores what’s at stake here,” said Attorney General Jennings. “The list of mass shooters using AR-15s and similar weapons to murder innocents, including children, continues to grow. Gun violence has now surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death for children in this country. And yet the gun lobby fights harder by the day to protect profits over people. No reasonable mind believes that this is what the Founders intended. I’m grateful to the Court for its ruling and its thoughtful analysis of the facts, and to our litigation team for their tireless, excellent work. We will continue to argue for common sense, and the safety of our kids, for as long as it takes.”

Judge Andrews found that the gun lobby “failed to meet their burden of establishing likelihood of success on the merit and irreparable harm”. He also noted that Delaware gun owners “retain ample effective alternatives” to assault weapons and large capacity magazines for self-defense.

Under the Court’s opinion, Delaware’s assault weapons ban and large capacity magazine ban will remain in effect during the pendency of the case-in-chief.