Watch
NewsCoronavirus

Actions

Trump administration rules gun shops 'essential' amid virus

items.[0].image.alt
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
CORRECTS TO CULVER CITY, INSTEAD OF LOS ANGELES Guns are advertised for sale at a gun shop Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in Culver City, Calif. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he would like to see gun shops shut down. "We will be closing them, they are not an essential function," Villanueva said. Adding guns to households where more people are at home during a crisis increases the risk that someone will be shot, he said. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Trump administration rules gun shops 'essential' amid virus
Posted at 8:10 PM, Mar 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-30 23:10:31-04

The Trump administration has issued an advisory ruling calling gun shops “essential” businesses that should remain open during stay-at-home directives. Gun control groups are challenging that advisory.

One gun control group has filed a public records request trying to find out if federal authorities considered public health issues or if it simply was swayed by the gun industry.

The Department of Homeland Security this past weekend issued an advisory declaring that firearms dealers should be considered essential services just like grocery stores, pharmacies and hospitals and allowed to remain open. The agency said its ruling was not a mandate but merely guidance.

Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Win Tickets to See Justin Moore

Justin Moore Ticket Sweepstakes