The ruling by Chatham County Superior Court Judge Benjamin Karpf did not address the civil lawsuit’s argument that the Savannah ordinance violates a Georgia state law that broadly prohibits local governments from regulating guns.
Instead, the judge dismissed the case on Nov. 22 after finding that gun owner Clarence Belt lacked legal standing to sue the city. Belt isn’t a Savannah resident and hasn’t been cited for violating the city’s gun ordinance.
Savannah’s mayor and city council voted unanimously in April to outlaw keeping firearms in unlocked vehicles, with maximum penalties of a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail. They said the law would make it harder for criminals to steal guns, and cited local police statistics showing more than 200 guns reported stolen in 2023 from vehicles that weren’t locked.
I don’t understand why so many gun owners want to leave their firearms lying around unsecured. I could maybe see my way into the argument of a locked vehicle but an unlocked one? JFC, may as well just leave your piece with whoever is standing there when you get out and hope they’re still there when you get back!
These are the same people who talk about “sensible gun owners” when arguing against really sensible laws like this as if they’re amongst them.