NRA-backed Pittsburgh residents sue over gun control legislation News
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NRA-backed Pittsburgh residents sue over gun control legislation

Following Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s signing of four gun control laws on Tuesday, Pittsburgh residents filed a lawsuit with the help of the National Rifle Association (NRA) challenging the interpretation of “large capacity magazines” in one of the laws.

The case in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas is styled Anderson v. City of Pittsburgh. The law being challenged is the ban on the public carry of loaded magazines that have more than 10 bullets to be discharged, calling these magazines “large capacity magazines.” The NRA claims that the magazines “come standard with many of the nation’s most popular firearms and are commonly used in handguns carried for self-defense.”

The lawsuit also claims that the City of Pittsburgh has exceeded its authority under state law by passing gun legislation. The District Attorney for Allegheny County, Stephen Zappala Jr, previously advised the city council that municipalities are not allowed to regulate firearms under Pennsylvania law.

The gun control legislation challenged by the lawsuit was passed by the Pittsburgh City council in an effort to restrict access to assault-style weapons following the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue last fall that resulted in 11 deaths.

A number of other lawsuits were also filed following the Mayor’s signing of the laws, including a lawsuit filed by the Firearms Policy Coalition and a contempt petition filed by the Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League.