Detroit Mayor Duggan: Gun-free zones may not limit shootings
The mayor claims metal detectors recently installed at Detroit’s Riverwalk are deterring individuals who carry guns illegally.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan speaks at a press conference on May 18, 2023 in Detroit, Mich.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says efforts to set up “gun-free zones” in the city may not do much to limit shootings.
Duggan praised state lawmakers for passing recent laws to take guns away from people if they are deemed a threat. And Detroit’s police department is coordinating with federal and county law enforcement agencies to focus on preventing gun violence.
But Duggan says he is not a fan of the Detroit City Council’s recent request for Lansing lawmakers to create certain areas where guns are not permitted.
Read: How does Detroit fix its gun violence problem?
“I don’t see the gun-free zones being particularly helpful,” Duggan says. “I think we have set up right now on the Riverwalk metal detectors — the teenagers, the felons, people who cannot legally carry — they’re staying away. And so all a gun-free zone does is take the people with a concealed carry permit out. And I’m not sure there’s any great advantage to that.”
Detroit City Council recently passed resolutions to usher in gun-free zones in the city, which is pending approval from the state.
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