City Attorney Announces Crack Down on Domestic Abusers Owning Guns

City Attorney Mike Feuer announced an effort Wednesday to go after domestic abusers who illegally possess guns or attempt to purchase more.

The Los Angeles Police Department will now alert the city attorney's office if anyone served with a domestic violence restraining order or criminal protective order owns a registered firearm.

Anyone with a prior conviction for domestic violence is prohibited from buying and possessing guns, and anyone who is served with a restraining or protective order must surrender any firearms in their possession or legally sell them within 24 hours.

Feuer said he is pressing charges against at least four convicted and alleged domestic abusers who tried to violate the restriction on firearms by failing to mention prior domestic violence convictions or restraining or protective orders on gun purchase applications.

His office is also working with social services groups to educate domestic violence victims of their rights and to encourage them to report any guns, registered or not, they find in their homes.

Every week, nine women in the United States are killed by guns used by their abusive spouses or significant others, according to a study by the Violence Policy Center.

A woman's likelihood of getting killed by her abuser goes up five times if the abuser owns a gun, said Margot Bennett, executive director of  Women Against Gun Violence.

"Guns and domestic violence are a lethal combination," Feuer said amid a gathering of representatives of local law enforcement and social service agencies and domestic violence prevention groups.

"Our office is taking aggressive action to enforce the laws already on the books and work with our community partners to inform the public of how the laws can help protect them and their families," he said.

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