KCSO sheriff says gun stores are 'essential' and should remain open

PROTECT THEMSELVES WITHA WEAPON - AND THAT HE DEEMS GUNSHOPS AS AN ESSENTIALBUSINESS - HE SAID HE WASSHOCKED THAT THE LA SHERIFFWOULD TRY TO CLOSE GUN SHOPSDOWN - AND THAT HEWOULD NEVER DO THAT HERE."IN MY OPINION THERE'S BEEN NOTIME IN OUR HISTORY, THAT WE'VENEEDED TOHAVE THE ABILITY TO PROTECTOURSELVES AND ARM OURSELVES THANTODAY."AS GROCERY STORES, HEALTH CARE,AND PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIESARE DEEMED AS ESSENTIALBUSINESSES, - SO ARE GUN SHOPS,ACCORDING TO THE KERN COUNTYSHERIFF DONNY YOUNGBLOOD -"I JUST BELIEVE THAT GUN SHOPSARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TOPROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC."MANY RESIDENTS THAT FILED INTOGUN STORES ACROSSBAKERSFIELD SAID TRYING TIMESCALL FOR MORE PROTECTION."I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TOBARE ARMS TO PROTECT OURSELVESBECAUSETIMES ARE GETTING REALLY TOUGHAND BEFORE THEY GET BETTER ITHINKTHEY'RE GOING TO GET WORST."THE DEMAND FOR WEAPONS HAVE BEENSKYROCKETINGACCORDING TO CUSTOMER MICHAELMONTANO."I CAME IN LAST WEEK AND THEPLACE WAS PACKED WITH PEOPLE -WHICH WASUNCOMFORTABLE, BUT I WAITED 2HOURS TO PURCHASE MY FIRE ARMAND IT WASANOTHER THREE HOUR WAIT TO PASSTHE BACKGROUND TEST."SOME PURCHASING WEAPONS FOR THEFIRST TIME."WE JUST CAME TO SEE THE GUNS -WE'RE A FIRST TIME BUYER."WHILE SHERIFF YOUNGBLOOD DEEMSGUN SHOPS ASESSENTIAL - THE BAKERSFIELDPOLICE DEPARTMENTDOES NOT - IN A STATEMENTPROVIDED TO 23ABC BPD SGT.NATHAN MCCAULEY SAID - AS ADEPARTMENT THEY ARESEEKING THE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCEOF ALL NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES WHICH HESAID INCLUDES GUNSTORES."THE COUNTY BACKS SHERIFFYOUNGBLOOD, THE CITYDEFERRED TO THE KERN COUNTYPUBLIC HEALTH WEBSITE WHICHDOES NOT STATE WHETHER GUNSTORES ARE ESSENTIAL ORNON-ESSENTIAL.AS FOR THE CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETYOFFICIAL OF THE COUNTY.."IT IS MY POSITION AS THEDISTRICT ATTORNEY AS THE COUNTYOF KERN -THAT GUN STORES AND AMMUNITIONARE ESSENTIAL..

IT IS MYPOSITION THATPEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFENDTHEMSELVES DURING A NATIONALEMERGENCY - BUT ALSO EVERYDAY.NOW TO BE CLEAR - EVEN THOUGHTHE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ANDBAKERSFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENTHAVE A DIFFERENTSTANCE ON GUN STORES -ENFORCEMENT TO KEEP THESEBUSINESSES OPEN OR CLOSED IS UPTO THE GOVERNOR - WHOHAS NOT MADE IT CLEAR WHETHERGUN STORES ARE ESSENTIAL ORNOT - EVEN IF GUN STORES WERECONCLUDED TO BE NONESSENTIAL.LAW ENFORCEMENT ISONLY AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE TOEDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE THOSEBUSINESSES TO CLOSE.

AS OF RIGHTNOW - THAT'S NOT THE CASE.GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAYS FOUROF THE NATION'S LARGEST