Virginia gun owners want assault-style firearm sales ban overturned

Virginia gun owners want assault-style firearm sales ban overturned

SALEM, Va. (WDBJ) - Gun owners at the C&E Salem Gun and Knife Show at the Salem Civic Center said they want Virginia’s ban on future sales of assault-style firearms and high-capacity magazines removed completely.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the ban in May, and it was set to take effect in July. A statewide injunction has put enforcement on hold since June.

Dealer says ban would affect business

Robert Floyd, co-owner of Commonwealth Arms in Covington, said the ban would have hit his business hard if it had taken effect July 1.

“Obviously from a constitutional side, we were opposed to it deeply, because it was direct infringement on the Second Amendment. From a business side, MSRs, which, you know, modern sporting rifles, which constitute the AR-15s and those like rifles, they make up a significant part of our business because those are the most popular rifles in the country right now,” Floyd said.

Floyd said county-level injunctions before the statewide injunction caused confusion for dealers and customers.

“There was a lot of confusion leading up to the statewide injunction. There were injunctions being released in this county and that county. And, you know, we had a lot of our customers were inquiring with us,” Floyd said.

Months after the statewide injunction halted the ban, Floyd said concerns remain.

“There’s still a lot of concern in the back of our mind hoping for favorable court rulings where we can just put an end to this nonsense once and for all,” Floyd said.

Gun owner says responsibility lies with people

Steve Roagen, who said he has owned guns since joining the Army at 17 and being issued an M16, said people — not gun owners as a class — should be prosecuted for violence.

“It’s not guns that kill people. It’s the person behind the gun. Those are the ones that should be prosecuted. You shouldn’t be prosecuted because you own a gun,” Roagen said.

Roagen said he does not think someone should be a politician if they are not a veteran.

“I don’t think you should be able to be a politician if you’re not a veteran. How are you going to lead when you don’t know what leadership is all about?” Roagen said.

“It’s my right to own a gun and no one’s ever going to take it away,” Roagen said.

The pause will hold until the U.S. Supreme Court considers broader challenges to assault weapon restrictions nationwide.

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