NEW ORLEANS — Sunday, one woman was fatally shot, and 11 other people were injured in a mass shooting in the Warehouse District. Following that incident, officials are once again expressing their concerns about recently passed legislation.
Concealed carry was signed into law by Governor Landry last month and will go into effect in July.
"We should’ve never had legislation passed for even permitless carry," NOPD Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said. "Let’s not go backward in gun violence, and this bill not only puts us going backward but also endangers every law enforcement officer out here because knowing you’re carrying doesn’t give us just immediately the opportunity to check you out, and that creates a higher risk to safety."
Kirkpatrick is hoping the area where the shooting happened Sunday would be one of a few that could be carved out of the permitless carry legislation if they can't get an exception for the whole city.
"That’s what I would like the whole city carved out. One size does not fit all," Kirkpatrick said.
A proposed bill by Representative Alonzo Knox would do just that – create firearm-free zones. In the legislation, one of the areas that could be considered firearm-free- would be "entertainment zones." According to the proposed bill, the French Quarter and the Downtown Development District, which includes the location of Sunday's shooting, would be "entertainment zones."
In a statement to WWL Louisiana, Knox said in part, "In light of recent tragic events...it has become increasingly clear that measures must be taken to ensure the safety and security of our communities." He continued, "Our city's unique charm should not be overshadowed by the continued looming threat of violence."
NOPD is expected to testify at the capitol Wednesday regarding permitless carry. In the meantime, they say they're figuring out how to work with the legislation as is.
"That is a concern for us; however, we are looking into new ways in which we can attack the problem with guns," NOPD Chief Deputy Superintendent Hans Ganthier said.
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