Official statements from the White House or Department of Justice

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump-Era Bump Stock Ban in Garland v. Cargill

Jun 14, 2024, 02:22 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, ruling in a 6-3 decision that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its statutory authority. The case, Garland v. Cargill, involved bump stocks, gun accessories that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like machine guns and were used in the 2017 Las Vegas massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The decision, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, saw the court's conservative majority prevailing, with Justice Sotomayor among the three liberal justices dissenting. The ruling is seen as a significant victory for gun-rights advocates and a setback for firearm regulation efforts. The ban was implemented in 2018 following the massacre.