PG mall shooting: Are guns allowed inside the Mall at Prince Georges?

Hyattsville Police Department is responding to “a report of shots fired at the Mall at Prince George’s“. They have now provided an update that there no active threat and the scene is secure at the time, but people are advised to continue avoiding the area. 

This is not the first time the Maryland mall has seen gun violence. In June 2022, a shooting incident left a 22-year-old man, DaQuan Dockery, dead, and two 16-year-olds were arrested in connection with the incident. 

Several people on Twitter have pointed out that there’s shooting at the PG mall “again”, which brings to light the shopping center’s policy on guns. 

As per the Mall at Prince George’s Code of Conduct “The carrying of any weapon, other than by an authorized law enforcement or security officer, is not permitted”. Thus, the general public cannot carry firearms into the mall. 

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Maryland gun laws make the state the seventh in the US in terms of gun law strength. While the state still sees a lot of gun violence, especially among coloured communities in Baltimore, Maryland in recent years passed the Extreme Risk law and expanded background checks before one can buy shotguns or assault rifles. 

Since a concealed carry permit is required in Maryland, anybody who wishes to have a concealed firearm in a public place will need prior permission. Maryland has also closed the Charleston loophole which allows a gun sale to move forth while a background check is going on. 

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After the Supreme Court struck down part of New York’s gun permitting law in June 2022, there was a spike in concealed carry permit demands in states like Maryland. As per The Baltimore Banner, from June 23 to July 11, there were 5,314 new applications for wear and carry permits, reflecting a 772.6% increase from the same time in 2021.