By Joseph Ax
NEW YORK, Jan 8 (Reuters) - New York's district attorneys
association on Tuesday called on legislators to enact stricter
gun control laws in the wake of last month's deadly mass
shooting at a Connecticut elementary school.
In a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative
leaders, the District Attorneys Association of the State of New
York proposed stiffer prison sentences for people who commit
violent or drug crimes with a firearm, a requirement that gun
owners periodically apply to renew their licenses and stricter
rules for purchasing ammunition and large quantities of weapons.
"Week after week, innocent victims are gunned down while
trying to go about their daily lives," said Manhattan District
Attorney Cyrus Vance, the association president, in a statement.
"The proposals we support would strengthen our ability to
protect New Yorkers against senseless gun violence by keeping
dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals and emotionally
disturbed individuals."
The prosecutors join Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has long
been a prominent voice in support of stronger gun control
measures, in calling for legislative changes following the Dec.
14 shooting, when a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at
the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
The district attorneys also proposed extending a current ban
on high-capacity ammunition magazines to include clips
manufactured prior to 1994 and adding background checks for
private gun sales, such as those sold at pawn shops.
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