Philadelphia loses lawsuit that sought greater power for the city to regulate firearms

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Philadelphia may not impose stricter firearms regulations than are authorized under state law, the Democratic majority Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, a blow to city leaders and others trying to address gun violence. Justice Kevin Brobson’s majority opinion acknowledged the tragedy of gun violence and that “a serious problem exists” but said the court's role was not to decide whether laws passed by the Legislature are adequate to address the challenge. The Pennsylvania General Assembly's refusal to act has exacerbated this crisis and it's time for them to change their approach.” Philadelphia Police statistics show homicides have fallen in 2024 after several years of much higher rates that coincided with a national surge in gun violence. The Center for American Progress said earlier this year that Philadelphia had seen the most significant decline in gun violence in 2024 of the 50 most populous U.S. cities.