West Lafayette City Council calls for tighter background checks on firearms
Jeong Park
WEST LAFAYETTE - The West Lafayette City Council passed a nonbinding resolution Monday calling for Indiana to close loopholes in its gun background check and to ban convicted domestic abusers from owning or buying guns.
"We (have) sort of lost our soul," West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis said.
Dennis proposed the resolution, pointing to a school shooting at Noblesville and the development of 3-D printed guns. He emphasized he is not challenging the Second Amendment, but that something must be done to address gun violence.
"Conversation starts like this," he said.
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Indiana bans "serious violent felons" or convicted domestic batterers from owning a gun. They can petition the court for the right five years after their conviction. It's unknown how many have done so.
West Lafayette's resolution calls for the representatives to consider Sen. Amy Klobuchar's (D-Minnesota) bill, which would prevent those convicted of misdemeanor stalking from owning or buying guns.
Gun buyers are required to go through federal background checks, but exceptions exist for private sales, which include some sales at gun shows and over the internet.
The resolution calls for Indiana's federal and state representatives to consider the Manchin-Toomey bill as a model. The bill, which was proposed and failed in 2013, calls for mandated background checks for private sales except between family and friends.
Indiana cities and counties such as South Bend and Lake County have adopted a similar resolution.
Members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America urged the council to adopt the resolution at Monday's meeting.
"We should not be forced to live in a constant state of fear," said Nate Nauman, a senior at West Lafayette High School.
Joseph Seger mourned that people have become desensitized to shootings because they happen so often.
"We can no longer remember the mind-numbing acts of violence," he said. "This is a reality we must face."
Seven council members voted for the resolution. Councilman Jon Jones abstained, saying the resolution is too vague in what policies it seeks.
"The devils are in the details, and I find the resolution lacking in those details," he said.
Many of those who voted in favor lamented that resolutions like this are as far as West Lafayette can go. Indiana prevents cities and counties from adopting stricter gun policies than mandated by the state.
"We have a state legislature who believes in preempting local communities' ability to legislate," said West Lafayette City Councilman David Sanders. "This is the fundamental problem."
"I wish we can do more," said councilman Nick DeBoer.
Contact Journal & Courier reporter Jeong Park at 765-420-5339, jpark@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter: @jeongpark52.
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