Brooklyn Subway Shooting Highlights Dangers of Adverse Ruling in Supreme Court Case

On Tuesday, at least ten people were shot and wounded in a subway station in Brooklyn – the worst shooting in the history of the New York City subway. The shooting comes as the Supreme Court is poised to rule on New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, a case that could thwart the ability of federal, state, and local governments to enact meaningful gun-violence-prevention measures for decades to come. A significant part of oral argument in NYSRPA v. Bruen focused on sensitive places like subways, and Justice Alito’s questioning in particular seemed to indicate that he’d favor opening up the New York City subway and other sensitive places to more people carrying guns. 

Amidst the smoke and confusion of Tuesday’s shooting, adding more armed people to the situation could have easily compounded the tragedy – and an adverse ruling in NYSRPA v. Bruen could do just that.

Study after study has shown that more guns in public means more gun violence. At a time when our gun violence crisis is getting even worse, the gun lobby is asking the Supreme Court to force more guns into more public spaces like subways, imposing its dangerous and unpopular agenda all across the country. The NRA’s radical agenda threatens public safety and puts every gun safety law at risk, including laws regulating who can carry guns in public and where they can carry them. 

The NRA’s dangerous approach is inconsistent with the Constitution, the Supreme Court’s previous decisions, history, and the consensus developed by the lower courts. The Supreme Court must reject it.

If you’re interested in speaking with experts from Everytown for Gun Safety, don’t hesitate to reach out.