Supreme Court Strikes Down Bump Stock Ban
A Divided Decision
The Supreme Court has struck down a federal ban on bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic rifles to fire more rapidly.
The 6-3 decision comes after the Trump administration implemented the ban in 2019 in the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting. Bump stocks were used in the 2017 shooting, in which 58 people were killed and hundreds more were injured.
The majority opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, argued that the ban exceeded the authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF had classified bump stocks as machine guns, which are illegal under federal law.
The dissenting justices, led by Justice Stephen Breyer, argued that the ban was a reasonable way to regulate dangerous weapons. They noted that bump stocks allow shooters to fire rounds at a rate of fire that is similar to that of a machine gun.
The Supreme Court's decision is a victory for gun rights advocates, who have argued that the ban was an unconstitutional infringement on the Second Amendment. The decision is also a setback for gun control advocates, who have argued that bump stocks are dangerous and should be banned.
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