BamaCarry, Alabama's largest state-based Second Amendment organization, announced on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit against the City of Selma for "trampling the constitutional rights of one of its members."
Filed in the Circuit Court of Dallas County, the lawsuit alleges that when Selma police officers removed David Blackmon from a public event, they did so in violation of his Second Amendment rights. A press release by BamaCarry said Blackmon had a "valid concealed carry permit and was in full compliance with all local and state laws. Nevertheless, Selma law enforcement officers forcibly removed the individual from public property without cause, treating the lawful possession of a firearm as a criminal offense."
"On July 3, 2024 (there is a video recorded by Plaintiff of the entire incident) Defendant, by and through their employees/ agents, the City of Selma Police Department particularly Lt. John Cole escorted Plaintiff out of a public event that was happening along 4 blocks of Water Street from Broad Street to Sylvan Street which included side streets and the Historic Waterfront Park and amphitheatre (Water Street is a public Right Of Way in downtown Selma.) The purported reason for his removal was that he was carrying a firearm on his person concealed. The City arbitrarily declared this a gun free zone and were using hand held metal detectors as an enforcement tool," the suit alleges.
It further claims that the City of Selma violated, Alabama Law Section 13A-11-61.3 related to the "Regulation of Firearms, Ammunition, and Firearm Accessories," which states, "The purpose of this section is to establish within the Legislature complete control over regulation and policy pertaining to firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories in order to ensure that such regulation and policy is applied uniformly throughout this state to each person subject to the state's jurisdiction and to ensure protection of the right to keep and bear arms recognized by the Constitutions of the State of Alabama and the United States. This section is to be liberally construed to accomplish its purpose."
"This is Alabama—not New York City," Linda McKinney, president of BamaCarry said in a press release. "We don't tolerate jackbooted government thugs abusing citizens for merely exercising rights protected by the Constitution. The City of Selma has not only overstepped its legal authority—it has stomped on the God-given rights of a peaceful citizen, and we intend to ensure they're held accountable in a court of law."
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