Gun Crimes Drop at Virginia Restaurants

As gun owners supporting repeal of the "Restaurant Ban" knew would be the case, one year after repeal, we now have proof that Virginia's restaurants that serve alcohol in addition to food did not turn into shooting galleries as the gun ban crowd predicted.  This news comes courtesy of an analysis by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  In fact, crime at restaurants declined in the last year.

The number of major crimes involving firearms at bars and restaurants statewide declined 5.2 percent from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011, compared with the fiscal year before the law went into effect, according to crime data compiled by Virginia State Police at the newspaper's request.

But this is no surprise to law abiding gun owners.  The gun ban lobby predicted "blood in the streets" when "shall issue" concealed carry was passed in 1995 and of course that never materialized either.

Only two fatal shootings occurred during the last fiscal year — one outside a Petersburg nightclub and the other at a Radford restaurant — but neither involved concealed-gun permit holders. And only two of the 18 aggravated assaults reported could be linked definitively to concealed-carry holders.

But the naysayers apparently will never be persuaded.

State Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, who was a strong opponent of the law, said it's not clear what conclusions can be drawn from just a year's worth of data.

"Most folks obey the law, and that's a good thing," said McEachin, who remains staunchly opposed. "But I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out that just like drinking and driving doesn't mix, guns and drinking don't mix."

Never mind the fact that those who carry concealed in restaurants cannot consume alcohol while carrying.  But don't let the facts get in the way of hyperbole.