Del Mar Shows Support of Assault Weapons Ban

On Monday night, the city of Del Mar joined a handful of other cities including Santa Rosa and Petaluma City to support a federal assault weapons ban.

City Council passed a resolution supporting U.S. Senate Bill 150 (D-Feinstein), also known as the assault weapons ban of 2013. The vote passed 4-1 with Mayor Terry Sinnott opposed.

“The assault weapons ban is an important first step in reducing availability of weapons that have no practice use in a civilized society,” said Councilman Donald Mosier, who co-sponsored the resolution.

The proposed Assault Weapon Ban of 2013 would replace an expired ban and strengthen its reach. The Washington Post explained that the proposal would ban the sale, transfer, manufacturing or importation of more than 150 specific firearms, including semiautomatic rifles or pistols that can be used with a detachable or fixed ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and have specific military-style features, including pistol grips, grenade launchers or rocket launchers.

Mosier said the 1994 assault weapons band, which expired in 2004, was effective in reducing crime.

The city’s resolution cited a U.S. Justice Department study finding that the previous assault weapons ban was responsible for a 6.7 percent decrease in total gun murders.

Dr. Carolyn Senger, the California State Director of Doctors for America, spoke in support of the ban at the meeting. She said “we must take action on this important public health crisis.”

“The current status quo is unacceptable,” she said at the council meeting. “Every year around 30,000 people died of firearm related homicides and suicides, that is more than the number of men who die of prostate cancer and almost twice the number of women who die of ovarian cancer yearly.”

Shirley King, a Del Mar resident and advocate with Stop the Del Mar Gun Shows, expressed support of the city’s resolution.

“We are very happy you are doing this resolution to really support our president. Our president was out today on the stump asking for our voices to get behind this effort—and you certainly have done that. It is essential,” King said.

Councilman Al Corti said while he felt comfortable supporting this bill because of extensive community support, he was concerned that council would continue to passing resolutions on behalf of city residents without a full understanding of their position.

"I want to know that the community is behind it," he said.

The resolution comes after community opposition of the March 9-10 Crossroads of the West Gun Show, often referred to as the "Del Mar Gun Show."

Last month, the city asks the 22nd District Agricultural Association, which manages the fairgrounds, to not renew the Crossroads of the West Gun Show's contract for events in the future.

The show has been under fire since the Sandy Hook Elementary killing spree in Newtown, Conn. In addition, more than 1,300 area residents had signed a petition to support the city’s motion. 

No one in attendance at the Monday night meeting spoke out against supporting the ban.

Mayor Sinnott said the lone negative vote. He said had several reservation.

"I worried that Senator Feinstein's bill will not work," Sinott said. "...There are debates whether (the previous ban) worked or some indications that it didn't work."