“It’s not the item’s fault, it’s the person’s fault,” Local gun shop owner reacts to gun legislation becoming law
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The owners of Spartan Defense & Armory, a local gun shop in northeast Colorado Springs, say a bill passed and now signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis is only hurting business owners who are following the law.
The bill, SB23-168, allows victims of gun violence to bring civil liability on gun manufacturers and sellers of the weapon used in the commission of violence. The bill reads, "A cause of action is created for a person or entity that suffered harm as a result of an industry member violation of the firearm industry standards of responsible conduct, or for the attorney general or the attorney general's designee, for enforcement and remedy of any harms caused as a result of an industry member's violation."
Friday, Gov Polis signed this bill into law, effective October 1, 2023. In a statement, he called the signing of this bill, and three others tied to hopes of decreasing gun violence in Colorado, a step in the right direction.
“Today we are taking some important steps to help make Colorado one of the ten safest states, and building upon the ongoing work to make Colorado communities safer. Last year, I was proud to sign a comprehensive public safety plan of action into law to put Colorado on track to becoming one of the ten safest states in the nation, and this legislation today will improve public safety and reduce gun violence. I thank the bill sponsors for bringing this common-sense legislation to my desk."
Colorado Governor Jared Polis
Ted Collins, the owner of Spartan Defense & Armory, says the gun industry is being targeted and regulated in ways that other industries simply aren't.
"After it's sold, whether it be a firearm or something else, if it's misused in any way, it's not the item's fault," Collins said. "It's the person's fault, and they're the ones that should be held responsible."
Collins says his gun shop already has safeguards in place to ensure they are selling to the right people. He adds, if someone who comes in feels "a little off," he is not afraid to not sell to that person.
"We actually have CBI, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, It goes through the state level and the federal level. We get an approval from both," Collins said. "The state essentially tells us that this person has met the criteria to be able to purchase a firearm."
Collins believes that civil lawyers are the ones who profit the most from this legislation becoming law. He believes that "civil lawsuits" will be everywhere, and the cost to defend them can put someone out of business.
"This is a dream of theirs, and I think there definitely is some lobbying going on behind that," Collins said.
The owner of Spartan says he would encourage legislators to look at holding people who perpetuate mass violence more accountable for their actions, beyond potential restitution in criminal cases.
"Let's look at holding mass shooters and people of that nature and their assets civilly liable, versus sellers and dealers who are selling their products to lawful owners," Collins said.
