HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) - A federal appeals court ruled that young adults in Pennsylvania cannot be arrested for carrying guns in public during a declared state of emergency, like the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The decision comes after a group of Pennsylvanians filed a lawsuit, arguing that they deserve the same Second Amendment right as other American citizens, such as the right to vote.
"If you are old enough to fight for your country, if you're old enough to be drafted into the military and vote, you certainly should have a constitutional right to carry a firearm," said Val Finnell, Pennsylvania Director for the Gun Owners of America. "We're talking about law-abiding citizens and law-abiding 18 to 20-year-olds who want to carry a firearm and fend for themselves or their families"
Gun control advocates called the ruling misguided.
"It's not just misguided, it's dangerous. It puts people's lives at risk," Adam Garber of Ceasefire PA said.
The rule was originally implemented citing Data from the Department of Justice that 18 year-olds are more likely to commit a homicide than any other age group.
The ruling could be appealed and head all the way to the Supreme Court.