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Mo. locals sidestep pro-gun lawmakers to put limits on firearms
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — After years of failed attempts to convince Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature to enact stricter gun laws, St. Louis locals are trying to sidestep lawmakers altogether.
A former judge, state lawmaker and criminologist filed initiative petitions on Wednesday that would amend Missouri’s Constitution to allow St. Louis and other local governments to adopt their own gun policies.
“The use of guns for hunting in rural Missouri is very different than the use of guns in urban areas,” Rick Rosenfeld, a retired University of Missouri—St. Louis criminology professor, said in a statement.
The effort comes after Republican lawmakers rebuffed requests this year from St. Louis’ mayor and new police chief to make it harder for minors to carry firearms or to allow urban areas to adopt stricter gun policies compared to the rest of the state.
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In February, the GOP-led House voted down a bipartisan proposal to put limits on when and where minors may carry guns, despite pleas from St. Louis lawmakers who told stories about teenagers toting rifles downtown.
St. Louis officials renewed calls for action when one teenager was killed and 10 others were hurt at a downtown party that devolved into a shootout on June 18. Survivors range from ages 15 to 19, and injuries include multiple gunshot wounds and grazings.
St. Louis police said a 17-year-old who had a gun at the party was arrested but was released to a parent because it’s not illegal for teenagers to carry a firearm in Missouri. Police haven’t been able to tie the teen to the shooting.
In voting against limits on teenagers carrying firearms, Republican House members argued this year that doing so would be an unneeded infringement on gun rights and would not solve the crime problem facing St. Louis.
“While it may be intuitive that a 14-year-old has no legitimate purpose (carrying a firearm), it doesn’t actually mean that they’re going to harm someone,” Rep. Tony Lovasco, a Republican from the St. Louis suburb of O’Fallon, said during a February House debate.
Two proposals by Sensible Missouri would give St. Louis, St. Louis County, Kansas City, and Jackson County the power to impose local gun rules. Another petition would allow any local government to adopt gun regulations if approved by local voters.
Missouri lawmakers passed a law in 2014 preventing cities and counties from enacting any gun policies.
Sensible Missouri would work around that law by restoring local governments’ right to act on firearms through the state constitution, which also would make it harder for state lawmakers to undo.
The secretary of state is collecting public comments on the three proposals.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. – Two people are behind bars after a man reportedly attacked a Jefferson County deputy with a screwdriver during an attempted arrest over the weekend.
Prosecutors have charged Nicholas Davis, 47, and Amanda Davis, 45, of Dittmer, Missouri, with felonies in the investigation.
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The alleged attack followed a traffic stop of a driver in the 9500 block of Jones Creek Road on July 7, though the driver was not Nicholas or Amanda.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Nicholas reportedly came out of his nearby home, yelled at a deputy and started approaching him while holding a screwdriver. The deputy initially ordered Nicholas to back away, then used pepper spray.
Per court documents, the deputy attempted to arrest Nicholas, who then struck him in the chest with the screwdriver. Amanda reportedly approached the deputy and pulled him away from Nicholas before both ran inside their home.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says the situation prompted an hours-long standoff involving negotiators, a SWAT team and a K-9 deputy. The situation led to Nicholas refusing warnings and being bitten by a K-9.
Nicholas and Amanda are both jailed in the Jefferson County Jail without bond. Nicholas is charged with first-degree assault on a special victim and armed criminal action. Amanda is charged with resisting/interfering with arrest.
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ST. LOUIS — The new St. Louis schools superintendent will be officially sworn into office today. Dr. Keisha Scarlett took over the job in July after the retirement of Dr. Kelvin Adams. She was assistant superintendent in the Seattle Public School District. The installation ceremony is at 6:15 p.m. before the regular school board meeting.
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ST. LOUIS — A gasoline tanker truck crashed into a Metro transit center near Riverview and Hall Streets early Tuesday morning and knocked over a power pole. The pole is leaning on other power lines. Police have the area blocked off here because there is a downed power line. Ameren and Metro crews are also on the scene.
The incident happened around 12:30 a.m. It’s still unclear exactly what caused the crash, but we do that there was a second vehicle somehow involved. The airbags on that second vehicle did deploy.
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Police at the scene have not been able to give us a lot of details. Metro officials tell FOX 2 that the transit center here is operating this morning for passengers and buses. Access to certain areas will be limited here as clean up unfolds.
A Metro spokesperson says half of the station isn’t being used right now because of safety issues. It isn’t impacting overall bus operations, everything is just happening on the other side of transit center.
The extent of the damage to the actual transit center is still unclear, but I’m told it does not appear to be extreme. A Metro spokesperson tells me there were no injuries to any metro workers or passengers. The tanker driver also was not injured.
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