New York Governor Kathy Hochul is seeking to raise the age of purchase for AR-15 weapons to 21 years old.
Hochul spoke during an Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns meeting in East Greenbush on Wednesday, where she said she plans to work with the state Legislature to change the purchase age to 21. When asked to clarify, Hochul said she wants to start with AR-15s but is looking to expand to include all firearms.
Right now, in the state of New York, an 18-year-old can buy an AR-15 without a license.
That’s wrong and I’m going to work with the legislature to change that.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) May 25, 2022
BREAKING: @GovKathyHochul says she does not want 18-year-olds to have access to firearms, she wants the age raised to 21 years old.
-Her primary concern is access to the AR-15 but she said she’s “looking at everything.”@CBS6Albany
— Anne McCloy (@AnneMcCloyNews) May 25, 2022
Related: State, local police are increasing school patrols in wake of Texas shooting
Raising age limit is ‘common sense,’ says Hochul
The announcement comes after an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday. The incident occurred less than two weeks after another 18-year-old gunman killed 10 people in a racially-motivated attack at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo.
“How does an 18-year-old purchase an AR-15 in the State of New York, State of Texas?” said Hochul at the ITF meeting. “That person’s not old enough to buy a legal drink. I want to work with the legislature to change that. I want it to be 21. I think that’s just common sense.”
Here in New York, we’re confronting the gun violence epidemic head-on.
We’re strengthening the toughest laws in the country.
We’re giving law enforcement the resources they need to get guns off the street & keep people safe.
We’ll keep doing whatever it takes to save lives.— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) May 25, 2022
Earlier on Wednesday morning, Hochul convened an emergency meeting of the state’s School Safety Improvement Team (SSIT), which was created in 2013 in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The team includes the State Police, State Education Department, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Gov. Hochul’s statement on Texas shooting (video)
Related: NYSED cancels Regents exam in U.S. History & Government, cites Buffalo tragedy as factor in decision
May 24 attack
On Tuesday, May 24, 19 children and two adults were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, according to officials.
Police say those killed in the attack were all in one fourth-grade classroom. The gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, shot his grandmother- who remains in critical condition- before carrying out the massacre. The gunman was killed in a shootout with responding officers.
Robb Elementary School serves a population of mostly Latino students in the town of Uvalde, Texas, located approximately 85 miles from San Antonio and 50 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Latest Update: 19 children and two adults are dead after an 18-year-old man opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, before he was killed by law enforcement officers, officials said. https://t.co/jBWkGWSE3z
— CNN (@CNN) May 25, 2022
“We’re right here.”
Children reunited with parents following mass shooting at Texas school. https://t.co/tQl4QkaSsq pic.twitter.com/UCPUBFPZGq
— ABC News (@ABC) May 25, 2022
Biden addresses nation
President Joe Biden gave a speech at the White House on Tuesday night. He became emotional as he spoke in the Roosevelt Room with First lady Jill Biden at his side. Last week, the pair visited Buffalo to pay respects to the families of the 10 people killed in the May 14 mass shooting at a Tops supermarket.
Watch President Biden’s full address here:
Related: President Biden calls white supremacy a ‘poison’ on Buffalo visit
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