In a demand letter sent Friday afternoon, Florida Carry Inc. informed the Bradenton Housing Authority that if they do not take immediate steps to restore the gun rights of their residents, the pro-gun group would file a lawsuit.

The letter comes in response to a story we published one week ago, which revealed that the Bradenton Housing Authority, or BHA, maintains a strict no-weapons policy in violation of both federal and state law.

The issue came to light after a 13-year-old boy shot and killed his 12-year-old brother. The family lives in what the housing authority calls “scatter-site” housing — a single-family home owned by the BHA but managed by a private firm, Bradenton Village.

“We are getting with our attorneys right now because obviously they are going to be evicted,” A Bradenton Village employee told the media.

Florida Carry‘s demand letter, which was signed by Eric J. Friday, Florida Carry’s general counsel, was sent to Ellis Mitchell, the BHA’s executive director.

The letter acknowledges that Friday reviewed the BHA’s lease and other policies.

The documents, Friday wrote, prohibit BHA residents from displaying, discharging or threatening to display or discharge a firearm of any type.

Knives and other weapons, such as clubs, are also prohibited.

“First, prohibiting a person from displaying a firearm on BHA property is a violation of residents’ rights under Sec. 790.25 to possess and carry a firearm openly or concealed in their home,” Friday wrote. “Second, your rule prohibiting discharging or displaying a firearm on BHA property, without making any exception for doing so in self-defense as allowed by law, is also a violation of the preemption statute.”

Friday also pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court has made it clear that the right to bear arms “is not limited to firearms but to all arms that a person might use in self-defense.”

“This would include knives, clubs and other weapons,” Friday wrote.

The attorney said that BHA’s contractor, Telesis Corp., is also at risk.

“As a private company operating under government contract, they are obligated to comply with firearm and weapon preemption laws as well,” he wrote.

In their letter, Florida Carry demanded that the BHA and Telesis Corp. must deliver written notice to their residents that:

No firearm or weapon prohibition will be enforced unless the weapons are illegally possessed.

The BHA respects the right to keep and bear arms.

Any person legally allowed to possess a weapon may do so in any residence.

Any person with a valid Florida Concealed Weapons Firearms License or a reciprocal licence from another state may carry a weapon on property managed by the BHA and its contactors.

All lease renewals must not contain any language prohibiting the right to bear arms.

Any firearms laws cited in any BHA lease must fully quote and cite the applicable federal or state law.

Friday pointed to the “severe” consequences spelled out in the preemption statute, which states that only the state legislature can regulate arms.

Anyone who violates preemption — even a BHA official — can be subject to a $5,000 that the statute requires them to pay personally. If they’re an elected official, they can be fined and removed from office.

Friday gave the BHA 10 days to comply with Florida Carry’s demands.

“If you fail to timely respond or reject this offer we will have no choice but to seek redress in the courts, and will name the BHA and any contract providers as defendants,” Friday wrote. “We will also seek individual liability against all board members and Mr. Mitchell, the executive director, as the elected or appointed government officials under whose jurisdiction these violations occurred.”

Mitchell did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment for this story.