See below for news from Attorney General Mark Herring’s office regarding the preliminary injunction issued by 24th Circuit Court Judge F. Patrick Yeatts in the case, “Lynchburg Range & Training, LLC, Virginia Citizens Defense League, Gun Owners of America, Inc. and Association of Virginia Gun Ranges vs. Gov. Ralph Northam and Virginia State Police Superintendent Gary T. Settle.
Today, Judge F. Patrick Yeatts issued a narrow preliminary injunction through May 8th (11 days) allowing only Lynchburg Range & Training to reopen and operate as long as it “operate[s] in a manner consistent with Paragraph 7 of Executive Order Number Fifty-Three (i.e. operate to the fullest extent possible in a manner consistent with social distancing and sanitizing guidance from federal and state authorities).” In the order, Judge Yeatts specifically says that it shall not be “construed to enjoin or prohibit the enforcement of any other aspect of Executive Order Number Fifty-Three.” On Thursday, Attorney General Herring filed a brief defending Gov. Northam’s Executive Order and asked that the request for injunction be denied. We’re going to analyze the decision and decide how best to proceed.
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In response, Attorney General Herring said:
“Governor Northam’s efforts to save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19 are necessary and proving to be effective, but unfortunately, the gun lobby believes the ability to shoot a gun indoors during this pandemic is worth risking further spread of the virus and making Virginia communities and families less safe.”
*You can find the order here*
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