Pro-gun advocates rip Mississippi mayor for suspending open-carry law during pandemic [View all]

While some cities have seen a decline in violent crimes amid the coronavirus pandemic, Mississippi’s largest city is struggling to get a handle on it.

That’s why Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is suspending the open carry of firearms in his city — a decision that has angered pro-gun advocates across the state who accuse him of violating the constitutional rights of local citizens.

In a video message posted April 24, Lumumba announced he had signed an executive order temporarily halting open carry laws as long as there’s a public health emergency related to the virus, the Clarion Ledger reported. Lumumba pointed to a recent spate of deadly shootings, including two that claimed the lives of a 5-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy.

“In the space of just one week, two innocent children have lost their lives due to senseless gun violence,” he says in the video. “For too long, gun violence has plagued our city and disproportionately affected black and brown communities here in Jackson and nationwide.”

Read more: https://www.sunherald.com/news/coronavirus/article242320936.html
(Gulfport Sun Herald)