The year 2015 was marked by a statewide pursuit of more gun control in California, while cities like Los Angeles played their part by enacting local controls, such as a ban on the possession of “high capacity” magazines.
And to date, the year 2016 has been marked by a 20 percent jump in violent crime in LA.
In July 2015, the Los Angeles City passed an ordinance barring the possession of “high capacity” magazines within city limits. The bill was sponsored by councilman Paul Krekorian. Business Insider quoted Krekorian commenting on the bill, saying, “The step we’re taking today is not a wild step. People who want to defend homes don’t need a 1,000-round drum magazine to do so.” The measure took effect in November.
So far, the ban has correlated with increases in violent crime rather than reductions.
According to KPCC, LAPD reports a 20 percent increase in aggravated assaults and an approximate 16 percent jump in robberies. Aggravated assaults are “defined as attacking a person with the intent of inflicting severe injury” and the escalating robberies are “defined as taking property by fear or force.”
Overall crime numbers in L.A. are down, but the surge in violent crime has “police leaders worried.”
On July 1 Governor Jerry Brown signed a ban on “high capacity” magazines that applies to the whole state. His Lieutenant Governor, Gavin Newsom, is pursuing a referendum in November that has the same intent.
It will be interesting to see what happens to violent crime across the state once after ban is enacted.
One thing is certain: recent mass shootings — such as the one carried out near Santa Barbara in 2014, which began with stabbings and included attacks with a car — would not have been affected by a high-capacity magazine ban.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.