Locals react to new California gun law

A new California gun law goes into place in the new year with many saying it violates their Second Amendment rights.

The law gives authorities the right to seize someone’s weapons for 21 days if a judge decides they pose a potential threat.

The creation of the law came after the deadly Isla Vista shooting rampage.

That’s when Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured 14 others before taking his own life near the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara.

He posted his rampage plans on YouTube and also wrote a 107,000-word manifesto.

But, now some say the law goes too far.

“It’s possibly prohibiting lawful gun owners their Second Amendment right,” said Ben Moran the general manager of Second Amendment Sports.

A person’s firearms could be taken away for 21 days if someone can prove to a judge that person poses a threat.

“Poses an immediate and present danger of causing personal danger to himself, herself or another,” said attorney Emily Taylor.

However some gun owners fear the law could be used improperly.

“People hold grudges, it could be a family member that just doesn’t like you and doesn’t like guns and could hold that against them,” Moran said.

Moran said the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

But some people disagree.

“I think too many people have guns who don’t take the accountability for possessing guns,” said Paul Boggs who lives in Pinyon Pines.

This is where the law appears to have some merit.

The guns won’t be taken away until the judge determines the person is a threat.

That’s when the 21 days comes in.

“It would provide enough time for mental health evaluation and for the goals they’re trying to accomplish. But aside from those 21 days there’s also a provision in the law that is going to allow for a temporary restraining order that would last for a year,” Taylor said.

Another aspect of this law is the judge doesn’t need to see the accused person before giving the restraining order.

But experts said we won’t know how judges will look at these cases or how seriously they will take them until Jan. 1.