Fighting future gun restrictions

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Gun control advocates at the State Capitol are gearing up to propose several new restrictions on gun ownership in the aftermath of Sandy Hook, but the 'Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen' is ready to oppose any more restrictions.

Almost since it was revealed that the Sandy Hook shooter used a Bushmaster AR-15 with high capacity ammunition magazines the call has gone out to consider banning them, as they were under the expired federal Assault Weapons ban.

"The high capacity clip issue, the magazine, is just one of a range of things that we're going to be looking at, I think, this session," said Sen. Martin Looney.

"That one difference, could very well have been significant," Governor Dannel Malloy said, "and I suspect, would have been."

However, just last year Connecticut gun owners packed a legislative hearing denouncing the idea, noting that there are thousands of legal handguns all around the state that have clips with a greater than 10 cartridge capacity. Lawmakers killed the bill.

In addition to attempting to ban the high capacity magazines, Looney wants restrictions on ammunition ownership, a stronger gun confiscation law, and a gun offender registry.

"We're also going to be looking at our Assault Weapons ban that was first passed in 1993 and perhaps looking at additional weapons including this one to add to the prohibition," Looney said.

Bob Crook is an avid gun owner, hunter, and fisherman. He also, for the past 30 years, has been the one to organize gun owners to turn out in large numbers to speak out against any further restrictions on guns at the Capitol. He says his members are expecting a fight.

"Oh yeah, they'll be some kind of a battle," Crook said, "both here and at the federal government."

He notes; Connecticut already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country.

"What we don't need is...we don't need legislation in this building that is 'the solution' because there is no quick fix," Crook said.

Crook ads that his members are just as shocked as everyone else that this happened in Connecticut, and many believe that more treatment for mental health disorders is what's needed.
     
Senator Looney says that is also on his agenda.