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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 12 January 2023

Supreme Court lets New York enforce gun law during lawsuit

By JESSICA GRESKO The new law New York
Associated Press passed in the wake of the
WASHINGTON (AP) — New ruling broadly expanded
York can for now continue who can get a license to
to enforce a sweeping new carry a handgun, but it in-
law that bans guns from creased training require-
“sensitive places” including ments for applicants and
schools, playgrounds and required people seeking
Times Square, the Supreme a license to provide more
Court said Wednesday, information including a list
allowing the law to be in of their social media ac-
force while a lawsuit over it counts.
plays out. Applicants for a license
The justices turned away must also demonstrate
an emergency request by “good moral character.”
New York gun owners chal- Beyond that, the law in-
lenging the law. The gun cluded a long list of “sensi-
owners wanted the high tive places” where firearms
court to lift a federal ap- are banned, among them:
peals court order that had schools, playgrounds, plac-
permitted the law to be in es of worship, entertain-
effect. ment venues, places that
The appeals court hasn’t serve alcohol and Times
finished its review of the A traffic sign on the corner of 42nd Street and 6th Avenue announces Times Square as a gun free Square.
case, and justices are often zone, Oct. 11, 2022, in New York. U.S. District Judge Glenn
reluctant to weigh in under Associated Press Suddaby, however, de-
those circumstances. The appeals court’s “proce- The law’s challengers, a June Supreme Court rul- clared multiple portions of
justices could still consider dures in managing its own meanwhile, underscored ing invalidated New York’s the law unconstitutional
the case and the law more docket, rather than ex- that their efforts would con- old system for granting per- and issued a preliminary
generally in the future. pressing any view on the tinue. In a statement, Gun mits to carry handguns out- injunction barring certain
In a two-paragraph state- merits of the case.” Owners of America Senior side the home. The ruling provisions’ enforcement.
ment that accompanied In a statement, New York Vice President Erich Pratt said that Americans have For example, Suddaby
the court’s order, Justice Gov. Kathy Hochul cheered said that while his group a right to carry firearms in blocked portions of the law
Samuel Alito wrote that the court’s action. had “hoped for immediate public for self-defense, in- requiring applicants for a
the New York law at issue “I’m pleased that this Su- relief” they found Alito’s validating the New York concealed carry license to
in the case “presents novel preme Court order will al- statement “incredibly reas- law, which required people show “good moral charac-
and serious questions.” But low us to continue enforc- suring” and “look forward to show a specific need to ter” and to hand over infor-
Alito, writing for himself and ing the gun laws we put in to continuing the fight get a license to carry a gun mation about their social
fellow conservative Justice place to do just that. We against New York’s draco- outside the home. The rul- media accounts. He also
Clarence Thomas, said they believe that these thought- nian law.” ing was a major expansion blocked parts of the law
understood the court’s de- ful, sensible regulations will New York lawmakers re- of gun rights nationwide barring guns from theaters,
cision not to intervene now help to prevent gun vio- wrote the state’s handgun and resulted in challenges parks, zoos and places
“to reflect respect” for the lence,” she said. laws over the summer after to other, similar state laws. where alcohol is served.q

64 police officers fatally shot while

on the job in 2022

according to a report re- “We really do have some The overall number of po-
leased Wednesday. concerns about these lice deaths dropped in
Sixty-four of the 226 officers numbers specific to fire- 2022 by 61% from an all-
who died in the line of duty arms fatalities,” Alexander time high of 586 a year ear-
last year were fatally shot, said. From 2010 to 2020, lier, as reduced coronavirus
the National Law Enforce- by comparison, 53 officers infection rates and wide-
ment Officers Memorial on average were killed by spread availability of vac-
Fund said. That matched gunfire each year. cines meant fewer officers
the death-by-gunfire tally The country has seen an died from COVID. The or-
from 2021, with the shoot- overall rise in violent crime ganization tallies COVID-19
Police and other emergency personal from various departments ing death figures from both in recent years, especially deaths from officers infect-
pay their respects during the funeral service for Chief Justin years reflecting an increase from gun violence. The ex- ed with the virus in the line
McIntire at Mount Saint Peter Roman Catholic Church on
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in New Kensington, Pa. in the average annual fa- act causes are hard to pin- of duty. The virus remained
Associated Press tality toll over the past de- point, but experts say po- the No. 1 killer of police last
cade and an indication of tential factors include the year. There was also an in-
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST 2022 than a year earlier, a disturbing trend, said Bill pandemic, which has killed crease in fatalities related
Associated Press due mostly to a drop in CO- Alexander, executive di- more than 1 million people to vehicle crashes. Forty of-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Far VID-19 deaths, though the rector of the National Law in the U.S., as well as civil ficers died in traffic crashes
fewer U.S. police officers number killed by gunfire Enforcement Officers Me- unrest and fears about the last year, an increase of
died while on the job in remained relatively high, morial in Washington. economy. nearly 30% from 2021.q