Mercer Times

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin issued a statement on June 14, 2024, addressing the Supreme Court's decision regarding bump stocks.

"As the state’s chief law enforcement officer, I condemn today’s Supreme Court’s decision holding that bump stocks, which convert semiautomatic rifles into machine guns, are not federally regulated," Platkin stated. "To be clear, bump stocks remain prohibited under New Jersey law, and this decision has no impact on our law, which I will continue to enforce to the fullest extent."

Platkin emphasized the potential dangers of bump stocks: "There is no valid reason for any law-abiding citizen to own a device capable of causing extreme bloodshed." He referenced the October 1, 2017 incident where a gunman used a bump stock to kill 60 concertgoers and injure over 500 others from his Las Vegas hotel room.

Highlighting the ongoing issue of gun violence in the United States, Platkin noted that there have already been more than 200 mass shootings and over 14,000 victims of gun violence this year alone. "The horrifying consequences of this ruling will be felt for decades to come," he concluded.