Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is backing down from his decision to close gun stores during the coronavirus pandemic. The Sheriff issued an order to reopen all gun shops in in the county, and it's the second time he's changed his mind.
Not long after he issued the order, while insisting he has a concern about potential panic buying and shoppers catching coronavirus while in line, Villanueva was sued by several gun-rights groups. Among the plaintiffs was the National Rifle Association. Their legal challenge claims the Sheriff violated second amendment rights.
Villanueva, who previously said he was also worried that allowing gun stores to remain open could lead to more shootings with more people at home during the city's shelter-in-place orders, now is saying he's going to follow a recent Department of Homeland Security advisory citing gun shops essential and recommending they remain open during the outbreak. Both times Villanueva closed gun shops he cited a fear of panic-buying.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to remove the Sheriff as head of emergency operations of the county. He'll be supplanted by the LA County Chief Executive Officer Sachi Hamai. It's a move Villanueva called irresponsible.
Officials say the idea to make this change came up last November as a result of the emergency response to the Woolsey Wildfire, with a need to centralize disaster operations for the future. It's also thought to be just the latest incident in a long-running feud between Villanueva and the Board of Supervisors.