San Diego, CA
Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era ban on rapid-fire rifle bump stocks, reopening political fight
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, the rapid-fire gun accessories used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, in a ruling that threw firearms back into the nation’s political spotlight.
The high court’s conservative majority found that the Trump administration overstepped when it changed course from predecessors and banned bump stocks, which allow a rate of fire comparable to machine guns. The decision came after a gunman in Las Vegas attacked a country music festival with assault rifles equipped with the accessories.
The gunman fired more than 1,000 rounds into the crowd in 11 minutes, sending thousands of people fleeing in terror as hundreds were wounded and dozens were killed in 2017.
The 6-3 majority opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas found the Justice Department was wrong to declare that bump stocks transformed semiautomatic rifles into illegal machine guns because, he said, they don’t “alter the basic mechanics of firing.”
Justice Samuel Alito agreed but wrote a short separate opinion to stress that Congress can change the law. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said in a dissent joined by the court’s liberals and read out loud in the courtroom that she hoped Congress would act.
The ruling wasn’t directly about the Second Amendment, but nevertheless threw guns back into the center of a role-reversal political conversation that had Democrats criticizing the ruling that upended the actions of a GOP administration.
President Joe Biden called on Congress to act and Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada referenced the massacre in her state as she encouraged Congress to permanently prohibit “these devastating devices.” Still, prospects for gun control legislation in the current divided Congress are dim.
Imposing a ban through regulation rather than legislation during Donald Trump’s presidency took pressure off Republicans to act following the massacre and another mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.
As Trump courts gun owners while running to retake the presidency, he has appeared to play down his own administration’s actions on bump stocks, telling National Rifle Association members in February that “nothing happened” on guns during his presidency despite “great pressure.”
He told the group that that if he is elected again, “no one will lay a finger on your firearms.”
After the court’s decision was announced on Friday, his campaign team expressed respect for the ruling before quickly pivoting to his endorsement by the NRA.
The Biden campaign decried the ruling and backed new restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
It was the latest gun case for the Supreme Court, whose conservative supermajority previously handed down a landmark decision expanding gun rights in 2022 and is weighing another gun case challenging a federal law intended to keep guns away from people under domestic violence restraining orders.
The arguments in the bump stock case, though, were more about whether the ATF had overstepped its authority, not the Second Amendment covering firearms.
Justices from the court’s liberal wing suggested it was “common sense” that anything capable of unleashing a “torrent of bullets” was a machine gun under federal law. Conservative justices, though, raised questions about the effects of the ATF changing its mind a decade after declaring the accessories legal.
The high court took up the case after a split among lower courts over bump stocks, which were invented in the early 2000s. Under Republican President George W. Bush and Democrat Barack Obama, the ATF decided that bump stocks didn’t transform semiautomatic weapons into machine guns. The agency reversed those decisions at Trump’s urging. That was after the shooting in Las Vegas and another mass shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school that left 17 dead.
Bump stocks are accessories that replace a rifle’s stock, the part that rests against the shoulder. They harness the gun’s recoil energy so that the trigger bumps against the shooter’s stationary finger, allowing the gun to fire at a similar speed as an automatic weapon. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have their own bans on bump stocks, though some could be affected by the high court’s ruling.
The plaintiff, Texas gun shop owner and military veteran Michael Cargill, was represented by the New Civil Liberties Alliance, a group funded by conservative donors like the Koch network. His attorneys acknowledged that bump stocks allow for rapid fire but argued that they are different because the shooter has to put in more effort to keep the gun firing.
Cargill celebrated the ruling in a video posted online, saying the case would have ripple effects by hampering other federal gun restrictions by the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “I’m glad I stood up and fought,” he said.
The Biden administration had argued the ATF changed its mind on bump stocks after doing a more in-depth examination spurred by the Las Vegas shooting and came to the right conclusion.
There were about 520,000 bump stocks in circulation when the ban went into effect in 2019, requiring people to either surrender or destroy them, at a combined estimated loss of $100 million, the plaintiffs said in court documents.
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Associated Press writers Mark Sherman and Farnoush Amiri in Washington, Jill Colvin in New York and Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.
Remarkably, the San Diego State Aztecs can still win a share of the Mountain West title despite losing four of their last five games.
SDSU (19-10, 13-6) needs to beat UNLV (16-14, 11-8) on Friday night in its home finale and then have New Mexico win at Utah State on Saturday for a three-way tie.
The Aztecs had their destiny in their hands less than a week ago, but then lost at New Mexico (13-6) on Saturday and then again at Boise State on Tuesday night, pretty much snuffing out their NCAA Tournament at-large bid chances and apparently ending their hopes at the MW title in their final season in the conference.
But then Utah State (14-5) was routed at UNLV and New Mexico lost at home to Nevada, setting up the possibility of a three-way tie. It’ll be moot, however, if the Aggies beat the Lobos, which will give them the title outright and the No. 1 seed in next week’s conference tournament in Las Vegas.
That’s life in the MW, which the Aztecs and Aggies are leaving after this season to join the new-look Pac-12, along with Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State.
The big picture
The Aztecs were voted the unanimous preseason favorite to win the regular-season title, based on a loaded roster under coach Brian Dutcher, including the return of Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath after pulling out of the NBA Draft, and Reese Dixon-Waters after missing last year with a foot injury.
But it’s been a rough go from almost the start, when a rough showing in the non-conference schedule put them on the bubble for an at-large NCAA Tournament berth.
They started to find themselves early in league play by running off a seven-game losing streak, but then lost consecutive games at Grand Canyon and Utah State. Their current skid includes a surprising home loss to Grand Canyon and then a startling road loss to Colorado State.
They routed Utah State at home last week before losing at New Mexico on Saturday and then being routed at Boise State on Tuesday night, when they were outrebounded 37-15.
The last three games were all Quad 1 opportunities in the NCAA NET Rankings, but going 1-2 in those games further hurt their already weak chances at an at-large tourney berth. Those rankings are used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for March Madness.
Now they’ll almost certainly have to win three games in three days at the MW tournament to claim the automatic bid to reach March Madness for the sixth straight year.
Key facts
The Aztecs will be facing UNLV for the final time in the regular season, as the Runnin’ Rebels will be remaining behind in the MW.
The teams will meet for the 86th time overall, with the Aztecs leading the series 45-40. SDSU is 21-14 against the Runnin’ Rebels in San Diego and 18-8 on Steve Fisher Court.
Below is a look at how to watch UNLV at San Diego State
How to watch UNLV at San Diego State
Date: Friday, March 6
Game time: 7 p.m. PT
Where: Viejas Arena | San Diego
How to watch: CBS Sports Network
How to listen: San Diego Sports 760 (local)
On Thursday, the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County recorded its largest increase since Sept. 28, 2023, rising 8.7 cents to $4.894, its highest amount since Nov. 13.
The average price has increased 15 consecutive days, rising 28.7 cents, including 7 cents on Wednesday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 22.4 cents more than one week ago, 38.6 cents higher than one month ago and 14.5 cents greater than one year ago.
The average price has dropped $1.541 since rising to a record $6.435 on Oct. 5, 2022.
“Gas prices are rising primarily due to a recent surge in crude oil following strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel,” Kandace Redd, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s senior public affairs specialist, told City News Service. “Any conflict with Iran can send oil prices higher, as Iran is a major oil producer and about a fifth of the oil consumed globally travels through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
“Gas prices are increasing because of seasonal factors too. Refineries are beginning the switch to more expensive summer-blend fuel, and demand is picking up as we head into the spring break season with more people on the road.”
The national average price rose 5.3 cents to $3.251, its highest amount since Sept. 11, 2024. It has risen five consecutive days, increasing 26.9 cents, including 8.9 cents on Wednesday.
The national average price is 26.8 cents more than one week ago, 36 cents higher than one month ago and 14.4 cents greater than one year ago. It has dropped $1.765 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
UNLV Rebels (16-14, 11-8 MWC) at San Diego State Aztecs (19-10, 13-6 MWC)
San Diego; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: UNLV faces San Diego State after Kimani Hamilton scored 24 points in UNLV’s 92-65 victory over the Utah State Aggies.
The Aztecs have gone 13-2 in home games. San Diego State is eighth in the MWC with 9.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Miles Heide averaging 2.0.
The Rebels have gone 11-8 against MWC opponents. UNLV ranks eighth in the MWC shooting 34.4% from 3-point range.
San Diego State averages 79.1 points per game, 0.6 more points than the 78.5 UNLV gives up. UNLV averages 7.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 fewer made shots on average than the 9.1 per game San Diego State allows.
The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. San Diego State won the last meeting 82-71 on Jan. 24. Miles Byrd scored 23 points points to help lead the Aztecs to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Reese Dixon-Waters is shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Aztecs, while averaging 13 points. Byrd is averaging 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is shooting 50.9% and averaging 20.6 points for the Rebels. Hamilton is averaging 1.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Aztecs: 5-5, averaging 74.9 points, 28.9 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.0 points per game.
Rebels: 6-4, averaging 84.1 points, 32.3 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.8 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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