Nutter, Ramsey push for large ammo ban

Mayor Michael Nutter and Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey have joined a growing contingent of lawmakers urging Congress to ban large capacity ammunition magazines that have been used for decades in mass shootings and assassination attempts.

The announcement came days before the 30th anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan that critically wounded Press Secretary Jim Brady.

“As we have witnessed through countless tragedies throughout our country, bad people will do bad things when given access to these magazines,” said Mayor Nutter.

A large capacity magazine was used in the January 8, 2011 shooting in Tucson that killed 6 and injured 13. It allowed the shooter to fire more than 30 bullets in 15 seconds without having to stop and reload.

If passed, the law would ban the sale or transfer of any magazine that holds more than 10 rounds.

“There is simply no legitimate reason not to have this ban in place,” said Ramsey, “This is a very reasonable step toward demonstrating that as a nation, we are committed to public safety.”

Large capacity magazines were first prohibited in 1994, but Congress failed to renew the legislation when it expired in 2004.