Gun Owners of America Inc. demands removal of museum's firearm-free zone

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Gun Owners of America Inc. (GOA) told Lafayette officials in a letter that they must remove the "made up 'firearm-free zone'" around the downtown science museum or face a lawsuit. Meanwhile, Attorney General Liz Murrill responds to a local senator's request to weigh-in on the gun-free zone matter.

The letter, dated Aug. 22, urged officials to remove ULL Police Department's designation of the science museum as a gun-free zone and the city's related firearm-free zone surrounding the museum building because such designations are "unlawful and unconstitutional."

The city's firearm-free zone extends 1,000 feet from the museum building and covers "a large portion of downtown Lafayette," per the letter.

The GOA letter gave Lafayette officials until "the close of business" on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to remove the designation or be hit with a lawsuit. According to the letter, the organization is represented locally by The Law Office of Joshua S. Barnhill LLC.

"Indeed, GOA previously prepared such filings against the City of New Orleans, prior to that city's rescinding its unlawful designation of a police precinct station as a 'firearm-free zone,'" the letter reads.

Lafayette officials responded Tuesday saying the GOA letter that was snail mailed was only just received Monday and late in the day.

"Accordingly, we are unable to provide a full and complete response to the several assertions and statements made in your letter, under the unreasonable deadline that is set therein," the letter from city officials read.

Attorney general to review state senator's request

In a interview with News 10 this week, State Senator Blake Miquez said he wants Attorney General Liz Murrill to provide her opinion on the science museum's gun-free zone.

The attorney general said she and her team will be reviewing the state senator's request.

I have received an AG opinion request from State Senator Blake Miguez on the proposed 'gun-free zone' at the Lafayette Science Museum in downtown. My team and I will review this request, and make sure citizens' constitutional rights are being upheld. I have continuously expressed my concern with overzealous application of a statute that is necessarily narrow due to the state and federal constitutional constraints

Attorney General Liz Murrill

View a copy of the GOA and city letters below:

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