Gun show debate re-emerges in Westchester County exec race

Wednesday, October 4, 2017
WHITE PLAINS, Westchester County (WABC) -- The debate over holding a gun show on county property has re-emerged as an issue in the race for Westchester County executive. That election is this November between Republican incumbent Rob Astorino and democratic challenger George Latimer.

Latimer, a State Senator, told Eyewitness News he thinks the show should be scrapped in light of the Las Vegas mass shooting that left 59 people dead and more than 500 injured.
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"The most single important thing is that we make a commitment to terminate having these gun shows at the Westchester County Center. We're not saying they can't be held in Westchester. We just don't want them at a public facility and give sort of the public endorsement of these things," Latimer said.

Astorino disagreed, asking what does a gun show in Westchester have to do with a mass shooting in Las Vegas?

"To equate the 8,000 law-abiding citizens of Westchester who came to the gun show here with a complete psychopath, intent on killing as many people as possible, is just utterly awful," Astorino said.
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So far Westchester County has not signed a contract but one promoter claims there will be a gun show at the center on January 20 and 21, 2018.

Astornio says semi-automatic guns, similar to those used in Las Vegas, are already illegal in New York and are not sold at the gun show.



Earlier this year, Astorino vetoed a ban on gun shows in Westchester County.
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