“It is outrageous,” she said on Twitter, “that at a time of national gun violence, the Supreme Court recklessly repealed a New York law that restricts those who can carry concealed weapons.”
The state is “carefully reviewing our capabilities – including convening a special session of the legislature,” the governor said, vowing to “protect New Yorkers from gun violence.”
The ruling, in a lawsuit filed by a NRA-backed group and two individuals, could potentially allow more weapons to be carried in public. Critics say the decision will hamper sensible decisions that they believe could curb gun violence.
“Simply put, this Supreme Court ruling will put New Yorkers at additional risk of gun violence,” New York Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
But the city will continue to do its best, Adams said, including conducting a “comprehensive review of our approach to identifying” sensitive areas “where gunfire is prohibited, and reviewing our application process to ensure that only those who are fully qualified may be licensed to carry it. “
“We will work together to mitigate the risks that this decision will create once it is implemented,” the mayor said, “because we cannot allow New York to become the Wild West.”
The law in question regulates licenses to carry a concealed pistol in a public place for self-defense and requires a resident who obtains a license to carry a concealed pistol or revolver to prove that there is a “correct reason” for the permit. But the Supreme Court, by a 6-3 majority, overturned the law in a ruling issued as the United States continues to fight gun violence and mass shootings.
Officials in New York State were awaiting the decision, worried it could make access to weapons easier and crime with guns more common.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg criticized the decision in a statement, saying it “severely undermines public safety not only in New York but throughout the country.”
However, Bragg said he was “committed to doing everything in my power to fight for the safety that everyone in this city deserves.”
“New York still has some of the strictest gun laws in the country in the books,” Bragg said, “and we will continue to use those statutes to hold accountable those who commit gun violence.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez also condemned the country’s highest court ruling, calling it a “public safety nightmare.”
“New York’s strong gun laws have saved lives for more than a century, and the Supreme Court’s decision to open the door to millions of New Yorkers to carry concealed weapons is a nightmare for public safety,” he said. “The evidence is vast that states with gun laws see much higher levels of gun deaths, from accidents to suicides, domestic accidents to street crime.
Peter Nikias and Mark Morales of CNN contributed to this report.
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