Attorney General Jennings released the following statement on today’s Supreme Court of the United States’ decision to deny two writs of certiorari, refusing to entertain a challenge to Delaware’s assault weapon and large capacity magazine ban and refusing a challenge to Maryland’s gun licensing law:

“This is a huge win for gun safety in our state and in our country. With the U.S. Supreme Court’s denials today, both in Maryland with the gun licensing law that laid the groundwork for Delaware’s own permit to purchase legislation and in Delaware with the ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines, the laws of the land remain intact and fully enforceable despite increasingly frantic efforts by the gun lobby. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, states with permit to purchase laws have on average a 25% lower gun homicide rate, a 50% lower gun suicide rate, and reduce gun trafficking by 75%. The idea that the Founders envisioned unfettered access to AR-15s when they described a “well-regulated militia” is absolute delusion. Assault weapons and large capacity magazines are modern tools whose sole purpose is to kill.

In a time where gun violence and mass shootings are ubiquitous in our news and guns are the leading cause of death for children in our country, we owe it to our citizens to do everything in our power to change the tide. These victories were made possible in large part by partners like Attorney General Matthew Platkin, the leaders of the Delaware General Assembly, and powerful advocates for gun safety, all of whom have fought alongside us each step of the way. We will continue to fight like hell to keep our kids and communities safe.”