Supreme Court Overturns Bump Stock Ban, Shocking Las Vegas Shooting Survivors
A gunman positioned high in a Las Vegas hotel unleashed a torrent of bullets onto the crowd below, resulting in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, killing 60 people and injuring over 400 more. His ability to inflict such devastation was aided by a bump stock, a device that modifies a rifle to mimic the rapid fire of a machine gun.
In the massacre’s wake, then-President Donald Trump enacted a ban on bump stocks, marking a rare shift in U.S. gun policy following such an incident. This move was especially notable as it was implemented by a Republican president and had backing from the National Rifle Association, both typically opponents of gun control measures. Survivors of the Las Vegas shooting, like Ms. Gooze, who considered Trump’s action “phenomenal,” welcomed the ban.
However, on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the ban, ruling in a 6-3 decision that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) had overstepped its regulatory authority. For survivors like Ms. Gooze, the decision felt like a significant regression. “Who has ever used a bump stock for good?” she remarked to the BBC. “There’s no reason for a civilian to use a mass shooting machine.”
Ms. Gooze, 50, still vividly recalls the horror of assisting people to flee and trying to save those hit by over 1,000 rounds fired with the aid of the bump stock. She described the harrowing experience of trying to save one victim by plugging a bullet hole with her finger and staying with another victim’s body for hours, using their phone to contact family members.
Brittany Quintero, another survivor, was left reeling by the Supreme Court’s ruling. Separated from her friend during the chaos, she has spent years dealing with the trauma. “It feels like another slap in the face, to be honest,” she said.
Ms. Quintero, 41, acknowledges that stricter gun laws might not prevent mass shootings and believes mental health solutions are often overlooked. “I don’t think taking away people’s Second Amendment rights is going to solve these things that keep occurring,” she noted. However, she still believes the Supreme Court erred in restoring bump stock access.
Not all survivors were disheartened by the ruling. In a private Facebook group, some expressed indifference. Ms. Gooze shared a message from one survivor: “A gun isn’t the issue, we need them to keep what little freedom we have left. It’s the government that’s the enemy.”
Gun violence continues to be a pressing issue in the United States, with 215 mass shootings reported in 2024 alone, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Both Ms. Gooze and Ms. Quintero lament the intense politicization of the gun debate. “I don’t think I’m ever going to see in my lifetime a true law or decision that will be made to solve the gun violence issue,” Ms. Gooze said.
Efforts to ban bump stocks through federal legislation have repeatedly failed, facing slim chances in a divided Congress. Trump, now running for president again, has stated he will respect the Supreme Court’s decision and reaffirmed his support for broader gun rights. “The Court has spoken and their decision should be respected,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump has been and always will be a fierce defender of Americans’ Second Amendment rights and he is proud to be endorsed by the NRA.”
Michael Cargill, the gun shop owner who challenged the bump stock ban, celebrated the ruling in a video on X, formerly Twitter, claiming victory in preventing further government restrictions on gun parts. “I stood and fought,” said Cargill, “and because of this, the bump stock case is going to be the case that saves everything.”
