Shootings prompt talk of regulations
City panel seeks new solutions for violence
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 02/29/2008 09:15:56 PM PST


Citing February's bloody toll in Los Angeles and across the nation, a city panel on Friday began looking at ways to regulate guns within city limits.
Recognizing constitutional protections, Councilman Jack Weiss, chairman of the City Council's Public Safety Committee, said nevertheless something must be done to curtail gun violence.

"I recognize we are limited in what we can do, but we have to do something," Weiss said. "If we don't do anything, then the incident like we had at a bus stop this week is just another unfortunate tragedy."

Three adults and five children were shot randomly Wednesday at a South Los Angeles bus stop. An alleged gang member has been arrested.

"It was only the latest shooting for the month," Weiss said. "It seems like February was shoot 'em up month.

Weiss cited a string of shootings - Feb. 2, five women were shot in a Chicago suburb; Feb. 7, Los Angeles SWAT Officer Randal Simmons was killed in a bloodbath in Winnetka that also left the gunman and three of his family members dead; the same day in Kirkwood, Mo., a gunman shot up the city hall; and Feb. 12, an Oxnard boy was shot and killed on campus, reportedly by a junior high schoolmate.

And this week, the bus stop shooting occurred.

"We are living in an extraordinary time in America and it's time to deal with this," Weiss said.

Weiss is working with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton on proposals that would deal with regulating the sale and use of guns.
Councilman Ed Reyes said he wants to explore other proposals, including one from law professor Erwin Chemerinsky that would create gun-free zones in the city.

Chemerinsky urged the panel to look at ways to have civil controls over gun use, such as the injunctions that have worked against the street gangs that have terrorized portions of the city.

Chemerinsky, who is dean of the University of California, Irvine, law school and former chairman of the Elected Charter Reform Commission, said civil penalties could serve as effectively as criminal laws in reducing gun violence.

Even as homicides have been reduced - there were 394 in the city last year - Weiss said the number of gunshot victims remains too high.

In 2007, there were 1,905 gunshot victims - 1,300 of those in gang attacks. So for this year, 253 people have been shot, with gangs responsible for 165 of those, say police.

Reyes said he also wants to explore developing tougher penalties for young gang members with no criminal records who fire weapons, knowing it is unlikely that they will serve long sentences.

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents the area where the bus stop shooting occurred, introduced a motion asking the federal government to provide more funding for the city to help fight gangs.

"I just want to get it on their agenda that this is something the city can't handle alone," Perry said. "We want to start to get them thinking about ways they can help us either get more police officers or more money to help pay overtime to protect our residents."

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel said she wants to see what can be done to combat a new practice in which gang members break weapons down, and each takes a separate piece.

"When they plan a shooting, they all come together and bring the piece of the gun they have to assemble for the crime," Greuel said.

Weiss said he wants to come up with a comprehensive package of measures for the city to consider. That package also would be submitted to the county Board of Supervisors and other cities in the county to consider in hopes of broadening enforcement despite the threat of potential legal action by the National Rifle Association.

Officials with the NRA said they would review any specific proposals developed by the city before commenting.

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