Legislator: MOA signs banning guns create "killing zone"

Amid concerns about the Mall of America being targeted for a terrorist attack, a top member of the Minnesota House of Representatives was strongly critical today of signs posted at the Mall of the America which states the mall "bans guns."

Representative Tony Cornish (R-Vernon Center), chair of the House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee, said the signs create a "killing zone" at the Mall of America. Cornish called the signs at the Mall of America "completely worthless" adding, "they have no standing" to prevent individuals with a permit to carry a handgun in public from doing so at the Mall of America.

Cornish, one of the strongest gun rights advocates at the legislature and a retired peace officer, said the Mall of America is "actually making the [mall] more unsafe than safe. They are stopping nothing from happening."

Aside from signs at the entrances, the Mall of America's website also states "guns are banned on these premises." Cornish said he "wouldn't hesitate" to carry a firearm at the Mall of America.

A tweet sent from a Twitter account for the Mall of America, which said "the mall bans all guns" was called "an insult to law-abiding Americans" by Cornish.

Bryan Strawser, Executive Director of the Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee, said "the current threat environment makes it unconscionable to seek to prohibit self-defense by the mall's customers."

"The Mall of America has long had a policy to prohibit lawful carry of firearms by Minnesotans," said Strawser, "including posting signs throughout the mall and removing permit holders seen to be carrying firearms."

Staff at the Mall of America did not respond to a request for comment.

Both Cornish and Strawser said Minnesota law prohibits a landlord, such as the Mall of America, from restricting the "lawful carry or possession of firearms by tenants or their guests." Strawser added, "carrying at the Mall of America does not violate the law, only the mall's wishes."

Picture source: Via Twitter, Casey Kim