New Mexico’s Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, has taken emergency action to address a surge in gun violence in Albuquerque and the surrounding county. Governor Grisham, a Democrat, issued an executive order temporarily suspending the right to carry firearms in public for at least 30 days. This move comes in response to a series of recent gun-related deaths, including the tragic shooting of an 11-year-old boy outside a minor league baseball stadium.
The emergency measure is triggered by a threshold for violent crime rates that is currently met only by the Albuquerque area. Notably, police and licensed security guards are exempt from this temporary ban, which will be met with legal challenges, according to Governor Grisham. The order specifies civil administrative penalties, including fines of up to $5,000.
Under the terms of the order, individuals with concealed carry permits are still permitted to transport firearms to certain private locations, provided that the firearm has a trigger lock or another mechanism that prevents discharge.
During a press conference, Governor Grisham acknowledged that these restrictions present significant challenges but emphasized the need for action to address the rising gun violence in the region. She cited several recent incidents, including a road rage shooting that claimed the life of 11-year-old Froyland Villegas and seriously injured a woman outside a minor league baseball game. Other tragic cases mentioned include the shooting death of 5-year-old Galilea Samaniego while she slept in a motorhome and the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Amber Archuleta in Taos County.
Despite the governor’s efforts to curb gun violence, the top-ranked Republican in the state Senate, Senator Greg Baca of Belen, criticized the move as unconstitutional and targeting law-abiding citizens. Governor Grisham has signed multiple pieces of legislation aimed at restricting access to firearms since taking office in 2019, including a “red flag” law, background-check requirements for private gun sales, and a ban on firearms possession for individuals under permanent protective orders for domestic violence.
