Bill would prohibit spouses from buying a gun during a divorce
A Fulton County prosecutor
shot and injured by her estranged husband is now taking her fight to Georgia lawmakers.
April Ross is pushing for a law to stop spouses from buying weapons while going through a divorce.
“It's a no-brainer. That's a dangerous time for someone who's trying to get out of a relationship,” she said.
Ross is back at work but still goes to therapy after the shooting that left her paralyzed. Her estranged husband then turned the gun on himself.
“I know he had planned it out, purchased guns and ammunition shortly before he decided to do this,” she said.
“Divorces and separations are volatile times and high emotions. The escalation can go from zero to 100,” Ross said.
Ross says she knows it will be a tough fight ahead in the Republican-controlled Legislature, but she’s up for the fight.
“You can't eliminate every bad scenario but you can certainly reduce the number of opportunities someone has to hurt someone when they're leaving a relationship,” she said.
She says if they won't go for restricting gun purchases during the divorce process, they could pass a law that would alert the spouse if the other spouse purchases a gun.
“A compromise is everything. I think the important thing is, it's not just about he can't get a gun, he doesn't have the right to get a gun. What I’m saying is put in that extra step that may have saved someone else's life,” she said.
Gun rights groups are weighing in. Georgia Carry released a statement to Channel 2’s Lori Geary saying the organization "supports no bill that strips citizens of their constitutional rights without due process, which this bill plainly does. Many times emotions run high during divorce proceedings, but prohibiting any disarmed person from their second amendment right is not the proper method to attack the issue.”
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