Boston, MA – Stop Handgun Violence (SHV) Founder John Rosenthal today praised Attorney General Maura Healy’s efforts to sharpen the Commonwealth’s existing prohibition on assault weapons.
“In the wake of the Orlando mass shooting at Pulse Night Club, Aurora CO, San Bernardino CA and more than 1,000 mass shootings of four or more Americans with assault weapons and handguns since the massacre of first graders and their teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School, AG Healey has clarified what constitutes a copycat weapon under the assault weapon prohibition in Massachusetts,” Rosenthal said “As the lead advocate for the 2004 permanent ban on assault weapons in the Commonwealth signed into law by Gov. Mitt Romney, it was clearly the intent to include all military style rifles and pistols that meet certain conditions, regardless of the make or brand. It’s just common sense that the current assault weapons ban, which includes the Colt AR 15, should also cover the Bushmaster and Smith and Wesson AR 15, as well as any other weapon with similar features regardless of the manufacturer or name.”
“These are weapons of war that have no use other than to kill a large number of people quickly without having to reload,” Rosenthal continued. “The AR 15 assault rifle has become the weapon of choice for mass shooters and the 223-caliber ammunition is specifically designed to inflict maximum soft tissue damage. The exit wound from an AR 15 is approximately 50 times larger than the entry wound. Each first grader at Sandy Hook received 3-11 rounds and many of the children’s parents had to identify their 6 and 7 year olds by their clothing because their small riddled bodies were indistinguishable. It’s outrageous that the gun lobby opposes a ban on these killing machines. Prohibiting copycat weapons from being sold is not only the intent of the original law, it is also common sense and we applaud AG Maura Healey’s actions this week.”
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Stop Handgun Violence (SHV) is a Massachusetts based non-profit organization committed to the prevention of gun violence through education, public awareness, effective law enforcement and common sense gun laws. SHV has been the lead advocate in Massachusetts for enactment of the most effective gun violence prevention laws and first in the nation consumer protection regulations. The organization does not seek to restrict Constitutional rights, but advocates only for common sense legislation that will help save lives. For more information, go to www.stophandgunviolence.org