Personal info on California gun owners wrongly made public

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Department of Justice on Wednesday acknowledged the agency wrongly made public the personal information of perhaps hundreds of thousands of gun owners in up to six state-operated databases, a broader exposure than the agency initially disclosed a day earlier. The association said the “unconscionable” release included information on law enforcement officials including judges, as well as others who had sought permits “like rape and domestic violence victims.” Names, dates of birth, gender, race, driver’s license numbers, addresses and criminal histories were exposed for people who were granted or denied permits to carry concealed weapons between 2011 and 2021, the department said. “It is infuriating that people who have been complying with the law have been put at risk by this breach,” said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, president of the California State Sheriffs’ Association. Consequently, those women will now have to worry that the person they least wanted to see again may have just been given their address by this careless act of bureaucratic idiocy.” Bonta said he immediately began an investigation into how the release occurred “and will take strong corrective measures where necessary.” He said he is aware of the stress the release may cause, and the department will notify people whose information was exposed.