LOS ANGELES (March 29, 2020) ­— Today, attorneys for plaintiffs in a federal civil right lawsuit added new defendants in a revised complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief. The added defendants include Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Burbank, and Burbank City Manager and Director of Emergency Services, Justin Hess. A copy of the expanded lawsuit can be found at FPCLegal.org.

As part of the amendments in the case of Brandy, et al. v. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, et al., four individuals and three firearm and ammunition retailers, two of which are also shooting ranges, were added as plaintiffs suing the various government defendants. They join other plaintiffs including the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), National Rifle Association of America (NRA), California Gun Rights Foundation (CGF), and Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC).

In California,” the complaint says, “individuals are required to purchase and transfer firearms and ammunition through state and federally licensed dealers in face-to-face transactions or face serious criminal penalties. Shuttering access to arms, the ammunition required to use those arms, and the ranges and education facilities that individuals need to learn how to safely and competently use arms, necessarily closes off the Constitutional right to learn about, practice with, and keep and bear those arms. By forcing duly licensed, essential businesses to close or eliminate key services for the general public, government authorities are foreclosing the only lawful means to buy, sell, and transfer firearms and ammunition available to typical, law-abiding individuals in California. Such a prohibition on the right to keep and bear arms is categorically unconstitutional.”

This latest court filing references important new DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Guidance, dated and released yesterday, which states that “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” include those “supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges.”

Among other forms of relief, the plaintiffs are seeking a “declaratory judgment that the operation of firearm and ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges are essential,” a declaratory judgment that the defendants orders and enforcement actions “individually and/or collectively violate the Second, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments,” and “a preliminary and permanent injunction restraining” the defendants “and their officers, agents, servants, employees, and all persons in concert or participation with them who receive notice of the injunction, from enforcing” the orders and enforcement policies, practices, and customs that “individually and/or collectively prohibit the operation of licensed firearm and ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges” and “individually and/or collectively violate the Second, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments.”

Individual firearm or ammunition purchasers, retailers, and ranges affected by ‘stay-home’ or shutdown orders are encouraged to report their concerns and potential civil rights violations to FPC’s COVID-19 Issue Hotline at www.FPChotline.org.

Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing, and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.

California Gun Rights Foundation (www.cagunrights.org) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves its members, supporters, and the public through educational, cultural, and judicial efforts to advance Second Amendment and related civil rights.

Firearms Policy Coalition (www.firearmspolicy.org) is a 501(c)4 grassroots nonprofit organization. FPC’s mission is to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, especially the fundamental, individual Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, advance individual liberty, and restore freedom.

National Rifle Association (www.nra.org) is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services.