The USA's highest court has invalidated a weapons ban introduced by former President Donald Trump's administration. The ban concerned a bump stock that enables firing at a higher rate of fire.
The ban was introduced after at least 58 people were killed in Las Vegas during a music festival in autumn 2017. The murderer fired at least a thousand rounds into the crowd over a period of eleven minutes.
The highest court (HD) stated in Friday's verdict that the ban on the modified bump stock, known as a bump stock, contravenes the US Constitution. Six judges voted to overturn the ban, while three voted against.
According to the verdict, the Trump administration broke federal law when the ban was introduced, as the American authority ATF classified the stock as part of a prohibited group of automatic rifles.
The decision was questioned by, among others, weapons dealers in the state of Texas, who believed it was an incorrect classification.
Usually, the issue of gun ownership concerns the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which establishes the individual's right to own and carry weapons. However, Friday's verdict concerned the exercise of authority by the authorities.
The three judges who opposed the verdict stated that it is a matter of "common sense" to ban something that can "unleash a storm of bullets", and that such a weapon must be classified as an automatic rifle.
