GIFFORDS condemns 3rd Circuit decision striking down NJ ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines

WASHINGTON — GIFFORDS Law Center, the legal arm of the national gun violence prevention group GIFFORDS, condemned the Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision striking down New Jersey’s assault weapons ban.  

“Assault weapons have been used in many of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings because they are designed to inflict maximum damage in a short period of time. And we have seen time and again that when shooters use large-capacity magazines, the number of victims shot and killed increases significantly. If the people’s democratically elected representatives vote to do so, states absolutely have the right to decide to protect their residents from such deadly threats. If allowed to stand, today’s flawed decision from the Third Circuit puts American families at risk,” said GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown. “With the Supreme Court poised to take up the constitutionality of assault weapons bans this year, we are preparing to fight for these commonsense laws.”