Lawsuits against assault weapon ban leave sellers in limbo

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - In four counties, separate suits threaten the longevity of what was once considered a groundbreaking Virginia gun reform law. Temporary rulings have voided enforcement of the assault weapon ban in Lancaster and Washington County the day it was set to go into effect.

Democrat Attorney General Jay Jones also said in a statement that the preliminary injunctions do not invalidate the law, but as a result, Virginia State Police cannot enforce it.

Albemarle County’s largest gun seller, Tobey Bouch, owner of Tobey’s Pawn Shop, said he is currently not selling AR-15’s, magazines with capacities over 15, and other firearms impacted by the ban.

“We’ve stocked up on a lot more on other things that are attractive to people, like home defense shotguns,” Bouch said. “Like most FFL’s we are kind of ignoring the injunctions at the moment.”

Bouch said licensed gun sellers never received formal guidance on how to be in compliance with the law.

“I think it’s just a function of government to be confusing and less than coherent about legislation,” Bouch said.

With the surge of buyers looking to stalk-up on items ahead of the ban now over, Bouch said he anticipates a slow-down in gun sales. He hopes to see the legal attempts succeed in overturning the ban.

“It was never intended in our current republic for government to tell us what we can and can’t have,” Bouch said.

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