Pittsburgh City Council passes controversial gun legislation in initial vote

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh City Council Wednesday morning passed its controversial gun legislation in an initial vote.

In a vote of 6 to 3, the bill would ban assault weapons and certain accessories and modifications within city limits.

The vote came exactly five months after a gunman walked into a Squirrel Hill synagogue and killed 11 people.

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It's something several council members are pushing for, but gun rights advocates are saying it's unconstitutional.

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Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has also voiced his support for changes.

The bills came out not long after the mass shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, but gun rights advocate and president of Firearms Owners Against Crime Kim Stolfer told Channel 11 if passed, the ban is illegal.

"It would basically invalidate the Second Amendment, Pennsylvania’s right to bare arms and the preemption law and it would say that any community can pass any law they want no matter how prejudiced and biased it is," Stolfer said.

Stolfer said gun rights advocates will take legal action, if the bill passed.

"We will file a lawsuit,we are also going to file criminal complaints against every council person and the mayor because it is a criminal act what they’re doing," Stolfer said. "We are going to do everything in our power to hold them accountable."

The final vote could happen as early as next week.

Cox Media Group