Miami-Dade County Commission passes two items for tighter gun control on state and federal levels

MIAMI – On February 17, 2009, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners passed two resolutions sponsored by Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan regarding stricter gun control. For the third year, the commissioner authored legislation urging the U.S. Congress and Florida Legislature to reinstate the Federal Assault Weapons Act.

Initially passed in 1994, the act prohibited the manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons, including UZIs, AK-47s, and other military-style firearms. The bill expired after ten years and was never reinstated.

Additionally, the commissioner passed another related item, urging both Congress and the State Legislature to pass legislation requiring all gun sales, regardless of venue or type, to be registered with law enforcement within 14 days of purchase, in addition to any other existing restrictive requirements. Firearm owners would also be required to report lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement, and all registrations and reports of missing firearms would be tracked in a database created and available solely to law enforcement.

While Commissioner Jordan has long been a strong proponent of stricter gun control and anti-violence campaigns, the passing of these resolutions was sparked by the deaths of two teenage boys who were killed in Liberty City only weeks ago. On January 23, Brandon Mills, 16, and Derrick Gloster, 18, were gunned down when an unknown assailant fired a barrage of bullets into a crowd of about 50 people at the corner of NW 71st Street and 15th Avenue. Seven other bystanders were wounded in the attack. Local law enforcement officials claim the gunman used an assault weapon. According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, assault weapons were responsible in the deaths of 15 people in Miami-Dade in 2008, and 16 deaths the year prior.

“What happened in Liberty City is just another tragic example of the sheer bloodshed these weapons create,” said Commissioner Jordan. “Semiautomatic assault weapons are designed for military purposes and have no legitimate application for hunting or civilian use. Our police officers and residents don’t stand a chance if we allow criminals to get their hands on such powerful firearms.”