In a pivotal decision, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday invalidated the federal prohibition on “bump stock” devices, ruling 6-3 against the ban implemented during President Donald Trump’s administration. These devices enable semiautomatic firearms to mimic the rapid fire of machine guns.
Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority, upheld a lower court ruling in favor of Michael Cargill, a Texas gun shop owner. The court found that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) overstepped its bounds by classifying bump stocks as machine guns under the National Firearms Act.
President Joe Biden, who staunchly defended the ban, criticized the ruling, calling it a blow to gun safety. “Americans should not have to live in fear of this mass devastation,” Biden asserted, urging Congress to pass legislation banning bump stocks and assault weapons.
The controversy stemmed from the ATF’s reinterpretation of the National Firearms Act following the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, which resulted in 58 deaths. The ATF’s reclassification aimed to curtail the use of bump stocks, citing public safety concerns amid ongoing gun violence in the U.S.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, warning that the ruling undermines legislative intent and could have dire consequences. “When I see a bird that walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck,” she stated, emphasizing that bump stock-equipped firearms function like machine guns.
The court’s decision is the latest in a series of rulings expanding gun rights, reflecting a conservative majority’s influence. This case diverged from Second Amendment issues, focusing instead on statutory interpretation.
The gun control debate remains a polarizing issue in the U.S. With the Supreme Court’s decision, the path is now clear for Congress to take legislative action if it chooses to address the regulation of bump stocks directly.
