A coalition of gun rights organizations led by the Virginia Citizens Defense League filed for a temporary injunction Thursday night against Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and the Virginia State Police to allow indoor ranges to reopen during the state of emergency.
“The Governor knows indoor ranges are not dangerous,” the League said in a statement. “His Executive Order allows police to use indoor ranges with no restrictions on the number of officers on the range and no social distancing requirements before, during, or after shooting.”
Indoor gun ranges were included as “recreational and entertainment” venues and not “essential businesses” when Northam shut down nonessential businesses in a statewide stay-at-home order.
According to the filed complaint, the plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment from the court that will find that the March 23 executive order, which closed all Virginia indoor shooting ranges, was beyond his legal authority and scope of his office under the Constitution of Virginia and the Emergency Services and Disaster Law.
The complaint was filed after the Virginia State Police said that violating the stay-at-home order could result in fines of up to $2,500 or up to a year in jail.
On March 27, the attorney for the Virginia Citizens Defense League sent a letter to Northam arguing that the closing of indoor shooting ranges violates the Virginia Emergency Services and Disaster Law, and violates Article I, Section 13 and Article I Section 7 of the Constitution of Virginia. Additionally, the letter noted that it conflicts with previous rulings of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
The group said that the order makes it almost impossible for many gun owners to get the needed range time with their firearms and leaves many new gun owners without a place to receive important operational training.
The group also cited Department of Homeland Security guidance that workers supporting the operation of firearms or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges are part of its “essential critical infrastructure workforce” advisory list during the COVID-19 virus response effort.
The plaintiffs, consisting of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Gun Owners of America, Safeside Lynchburg, and the Association of Virginia Gun Ranges, will have their case heard on Tuesday, April 14.
