Las Cruces City Council to vote on resolution in support of restricting some guns

LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces City Council on Monday will vote on a statement of support for restricting the sale and possession of semi-automatic weapons in New Mexico.

The symbolic proposal — which is in the form of a request to the state Legislature and wouldn't actually ban any weapons — is sparking controversy.

Several conservative gun owners are proposing to carry unloaded weapons to Las Cruces City Hall to protest the measure. And a number of supporters of the proposed resolution are objecting to the idea of to carrying weapons into the city council meeting.

New Mexico allows the open-carry of guns and concealed carry of guns, with a permit, in public. But some businesses restrict the practice.

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City Manager Stuart Ed said legally carried guns are allowed in city hall, the location of Monday's meeting.

City documents proposing the resolution cite a recent flurry of gun threats at schools as the reason behind the measure.

"The education of young people is a critical element in the successes they can hope to achieve in their lives, but too easy access to semi-automatic weapons, primarily designed to replicate weapons of war, is a strongly contributing factor to students staying out of school and being in fear for their lives when at school," the documents state.

Wednesday, hundreds of Las Cruces Public Schools students walked out of middle and high schools. Many were supporting gun law reform in the wake of a Feb. 14 mass shooting that left 17 students and teachers dead in Florida. Some students said they participated in the national walkout only to memorialize victims and not to make a statement about gun control.

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The city council proposal, if approved, would "request that the New Mexico Legislature and Governor act to better secure the safety and education of young people by restricting the sale and possession of semi-automatic weapons and any devices intended to convert a weapon into or simulate an automatic or semi-automatic weapon in New Mexico."

William Webb, a Republican candidate for Doña Ana County probate judge, sparked an uproar on Facebook on Friday when he called on gun owners to protest the "communists and fascists" supporting the proposal at city hall. He said "peaceful armed protest is welcome."

Webb said he realizes the city council's proposed resolution wouldn't ban weapons, but he argued the city council shouldn't be considering the public statement.

"This is a federal issue, and it's a constitutional right," said Webb, a county resident. "I know they don't have power; we're going to protest it because we feel they should be fixing other issues."

MORE: Hundreds of Las Cruces high students, teachers walk out

Webb said his Facebook post wasn't meant to be threatening, but it's not uncommon for NRA supporters to protest gun control measures by carrying unloaded weapons. Webb clarified he's not the organizer of the protest, but said he plans to participate.

The city council meeting starts at 1 p.m. Monday, March 19 at Las Cruces City Hall, 700 N. Main St.

Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, dalba@lcsun-news.com or @AlbaSoular on Twitter.