In Episode 195 of District of Conservation, Gabriella exclusively sits down with Hirschfeld v. ATF co-plaintiff Tanner Hirschfeld and his lawyer, Elliott Harding, to discuss their victory at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday. They discuss the impetus behind the lawsuit, next steps, possible Supreme Court considerations, and legal precedent to not bar young people from owning and purchasing handguns.
Here’s more about the case from The Reload’s Stephen Gutowski:
The case was brought by two plaintiffs who argued the handgun ban actually made them less safe. Nineteen-year-old Natalia Marshall joined the case after her abusive ex-boyfriend was arrested for drug and gun possession but skipped court after being released on bail. She obtained a protective order but wants to own a handgun to protect herself since she is trained in handling firearms safely.
Tanner Hirschfeld, the other plaintiff in the case, said the ruling is a “huge victory” for “every 18 to 20-year-old’s right to defend themselves.” He said he was living off-campus while attending the University of Virginia when he found out federal law prohibited him from being able to buy a handgun from a licensed dealer due to his age. He said the ban made him feel like a “second-class citizen” so he joined the suit against the law.
“I wanted to purchase a handgun to keep in a locked safe next to my bed for self-defense,” Hirschfeld told The Reload. “I’m grateful the court ruled in our favor, as this will allow for more college-aged students to safely purchase a firearm to defend themselves against criminals, who don’t follow gun laws.”
Ultimately, the court decided the record showed the Second Amendment was always intended to apply to all adults, and young adults were no exception to the rule.
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