The Supreme Court says a federal ban on “bump stocks” is unlawful. The court ruled Friday that the firearm accessory that allows semi-automatic rifles to fire more quickly can’t be included in a 1934 law banning machine guns.
The decision was 6-3 on ideological lines, striking down a regulation imposed during the Trump administration.
Despite the ruling, bump stocks remain illegal in 18 states. The Trump administration banned bump stocks following the 2017 mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival that killed 60 people and injured hundreds.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the decision on bump stocks “a sad day for the families who have lost loved ones in mass shootings,” like the deadly Buffalo massacre that had its anniversary just one month ago. New Jersey’s Attorney General Matthew Platkin stressed that there’s no valid reason for any law-abiding citizen to own a device capable of causing extreme bloodshed.
