Failure of Connecticut Gun Control Laws on Full Display After Teen’s Arrest

Connecticut has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country. Giffords gives the state an “A” for its gun control efforts, which include a permit-to-purchase scheme, universal background checks, bans on so-called assault weapons and large capacity magazines, and even a gun rationing law limiting lawful buyers to no more than three handguns in a 30-day period. 

While those restrictions make it virtually impossible for someone with an immediate need for a gun to legally acquire one, criminals can easily avoid the law and get a gun on the black market, theft, or family and friends. And even when they’re caught illegally possessing a gun they don’t have to worry much about the consequences… at least if they’re a juvenile. 

A 16-year-old boy was arrested on a gun violation for the second time in two months, New Haven police said.

Officers said that they were sent to the 200 block of St. John Street for a report of a bicyclist crashing into a parked vehicle.

Medical personnel said they found the teen boy suffering from a large cut that was a result from the crash.

He was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment. 

Police said that during the investigation, the learned that the same teen was arrested on May 1 for carrying an illegal handgun.

Once the teen was at the hospital, security officers found that he was carrying a “ghost gun” (banned in Connecticut) and an “extended magazine” (banned in Connecticut). The 16-year-old was taken to a juvenile facility after he was patched up from the bike accident, but chances are he won’t be there long. 

WFSB-TV’s report on the teen’s arrest doesn’t mention if he was ever taken into custody for illegally carrying a gun back in May, but it’s not unusual for minors caught with guns to simply be released to their guardian, as was the case for one juvenile busted at a party in March of this year. While the seven adults who were arrested for illegal gun possession were all taken to jail, the teen was let go and told to show up for court at a later date. 

It’s not exactly uncommon for teens in the Nutmeg State to get their hands on a gun, despite all of the restrictions in place. Just last week a student at Westhill High School in Stamford was busted with a gun in his bag while it was being searched in connection to what school officials describe as a “vaping incident”. 

Instead of cracking down on juvenile crime, the Democrat-controlled legislature is looking to make it easier for young offenders to avoid accountability. A bill sent to Gov. Ned Lamont last Friday would increase the age for arrests to 14-years-old in 2028, despite opposition from police chiefs across the state, who warned lawmakers that the move could “lead to juveniles continuing to commit repeat offenses and often times escalating to more serious crime.”

This bill as proposed does not account for victim impact and creates greater victimomization. Victims of crimes are often left with a financial loss and this bill does not address restitution when a juvenile commits a crime. Law Enforcement has seen damages that are in excess of thousands of dollars as a result of juvenile crime. The lack of accountability leads to recidivism which leads to greater victimization. At a time when we are seeing more violentvcrime, firearms related offenses and stolen motor vehicles committed by juveniles, this bill will only lead to more of these offenses.

They could address this problem, but instead they’re voting to make things even worse. And when the chiefs’ prediction proves correct, my guess is that Connecticut Democrats will do what they always do: blame responsible gun owners and pass more laws that make it more difficult and legally dangerous to exercise our Second Amendment rights.