State is leading by example on gun laws

PHOTOGRAPHER: Letters to the Editor

As we have seen time and time again, guns can do great harm when they end up in the wrong hands. The gun enthusiasts of New York state have demonstrated that they take seriously their responsibility of gun ownership. Most gun owners I know lock their guns and ammunition away when not in use, teach their children safe gun-handling and hunting skills, practice with their guns and abide by the state laws put in place.

After reading John Cropley’s Oct. 15 Gazette article, “N.Y. is home to low gun death rates,” it also sounds like New York state shop owners are doing their part as well.

The article states that shop owners inspect their merchandise when it arrives to make sure it conforms to state laws, complete necessary paperwork and offer more safety classes and marksmanship training.

Mr. Cropley’s article also notes that the police are busy doing their job enforcing the Safe Act regulations. From 2013 to Sept. 2017, there have been 17 arrests for failure to register legally owned assault rifles, 123 arrests for possession of high-capacity magazines, 816 arrests for illegal possession assault rifles and 338 arrests for illegal possession of fully automatic weapons. When you think of the damage that can be caused by just one automatic weapon with high-capacity magazines, these arrests are even more impressive.

The cooperation between gun owners, shop owners and law enforcement has helped to make New York one of safest states in the nation when reviewing firearms death rates. There were 144 fewer firearms deaths in 2014 than in 2005 in New York, and our state has the fourth-lowest death rate from firearms in the nation.

There’s much more to be done to continue this trend.

The mental health component and the need to improve the nation’s ability to do background checks are two areas in need of significant improvement. I feel that New York state citizens have set an admirable example as to how reasonable gun laws, and gun ownership, can co-exist.

ROBERT KARANDY

Burnt Hills