Washington DC Refuses to Grant 3 Black Men Concealed Carry Licenses, They’re Suing Alleging Discrimination

0
448

The Washington Post reported that three black men sued Washington, D.C., alleging discrimination after they were denied concealed-carry permits by the district police.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in September. It claims that D.C. incorrectly claimed the plaintiffs had violent pasts and also misjudged their criminal records. The suit also claims that D.C. police unreasonably denied licenses to minor criminal convictions or arrests without convictions — and sometimes used their participation in violent incidents against them.

What About the Details?

Sanu Millard (24-year-old D.C. security guard) applied for a concealed carry license from D.C. Police in 2019. His request was denied, according to the paper.

According to the Post, Millard was carrying guns at work in Virginia.

The paper stated that despite having no criminal record and having never been arrested, police disqualified him for his involvement in domestic violence incidents.

Millard claimed that he and his mother were both victims of those incidents to the Post.

More Information In The Paper

This litigation follows a significant Supreme Court decision in which Americans were granted the right to keep guns outside their homes. It is a challenging ruling for many cities trying to deal with increasing gun violence.

Millard and other Second Amendment advocates, however, believe that gun control will not prevent gun violence. Millard claims that laws restricting gun rights make cities more dangerous by preventing citizens from protecting themselves.

He told the Post that he has a clean record. “I don’t want to break the law. Gun-control laws make me a victim.

According to the paper, a spokesperson for D.C. police referred questions to D.C. Attorney General’s office. A spokeswoman from that office declined to comment on litigation.

What About the Other Plaintiffs?

According to the suit, another man was denied a concealed carry license after he fired a weapon in self-defense in 2019. However, he was not charged. The man was accused of assault with a deadly instrument and carrying a gun without a permit in a 2020 incident. However, the Post reported that the assault charge was dropped and the case dismissed.

Although he was not convicted of any crime, D.C. police will not issue him a concealed carry license. The Post cited the suit.

According to the newspaper, the suit also states that another man was involved in violent incidents and had contacts with law enforcement. According to the suit, he was a witness to a shooting threat in 2017. He was charged with assaulting a policeman and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute while armed in 2020.

The Post stated that all charges against him were dropped. The Post stated that despite not being charged with any crime and having a concealed-carry permit, he was still charged.

Do You Have Any Other Suggestions?

Millard was mentioned in the paper as being unsuitable for a license because of his involvement in domestic violence. However, there is no evidence Millard initiated those incidents.

According to the suit, Millard’s boyfriend pushed Millard and bled his lips in one instance. Millard also told police that Millard had “mental problems” in another incident.

Millard, who was not arrested or charged with a crime, told the paper that they didn’t even handcuff him.

Millard claimed that D.C. gun regulations render him defenseless on the streets. He said that armed security guards who are unable to take their weapons home may be targeted at night.

Millard stated that D.C. policy doesn’t make sense when someone can carry a weapon to work. He was wearing a holster around his waist and a Glock 19 as he stood in front of the Old Town Alexandria water taxi landing in Virginia on a sunny fall Sunday. It was legal and nobody seemed to notice.

He said to the paper, “It’s only dangerous when I’m not there.”

Millard’s attorney Joseph Scrofano told the Post that Millard’s “existing process allows the chief [of police] the unfettered discretion of picking and choosing who gets to carry, and…disproportionately disqualify African American men.”