Four District of Columbia-area gun owners on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the District and Police Chief Robert J. Contee III, arguing that the ban on carrying firearms on the Metro is unconstitutional, particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen.
“The regulation at issue in this case, runs afoul of the Second Amendment because it lacks any historical justification, is arbitrary and capricious, and unnecessarily impinges on the core right of self-protection,” wrote the four plaintiffs in their suit.
The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen opinion reads that “the government must demonstrate that the regulation is consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation” in order to implement a restriction on carrying firearms.
Plaintiffs Gregory T. Angelo, Tyler Yzaguirre, Robert M. Miller and Cameron M. Erickson, all of whom say they regularly use the Metro and have concealed carry permits, said that “public transportation vehicles and stations, essentially the D.C. Metro, share few, if any, characteristics” with other locations designated as “sensitive areas” by the District.
The District of Columbia does not allow firearms in schools, government buildings, medical offices, businesses that serve alcohol or polling places where voting is taking place, designating these areas as “sensitive” due to a higher risk of public shooting than other places.
The lawsuit says that transportation methods like the Metro system should not be included on this list, arguing that “they are not landmarks or symbols of our nation which would be inviting to terrorists or active killers.”
The Hill has reached out to D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine (D) for comment on the lawsuit.