Pittsburgh's new gun laws on hold: City agrees not to enforce restrictions yet; Heinz Field claims by plaintiff in dispute
While a judge has issued an order putting Pittsburgh's new gun laws on hold until he rules on the lawsuits challenging the city ordinances, the claims made by a plaintiff in one of the suits have come into question.
(Watch the report by @BMayo_WTAE in the video player above.)
The stay on the gun laws came with agreement from both sides Monday. The ordinances had been scheduled to take effect June 8.
"They have agreed to a stay of the implementation and enforcement of the ordinances and Judge (Joseph) James has issued an order staying it, consistent with that agreement," said Joshua Prince, an attorney for Firearms Owners Against Crime.
Gun law opponents questioned the gun control advocates law firm, Everytown Law, joining the city's legal team, claiming it could cost taxpayers. The group says it won't.
"We are here representing the city. We do that at no charge. It's already been discussed as a matter of public record," said Eric Tirschwell, of Everytown Law.
During the hearing, the judge questioned Prince's claim that one of the plaintiffs challenging the gun laws, Matthew Boardley, carries his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in his job working security at Heinz Field.
Pittsburgh's Action News 4 asked attorney Prince about his claim made in the courtroom.
"That is one situation. Obviously, we're not going to go into the specifics of it, because it involves the security of Heinz Field and their stadium," Prince said. "But yes, and that is in the complaint, he is a security officer for Heinz Field. He has duties to protect that stadium. And so, as such, he does have certain firearms that fall within these ordinances."
Jimmy Sacco, vice president of stadium operations and management at Heinz Field, refuted the claim when contacted by Pittsburgh's Action News 4.
"Heinz Field security staff do not carry guns" and "we do not allow them to carry guns," Sacco said, adding that the plaintiff actually works for Landmark Event Staffing Services.
The lawsuit claims that plaintiff Matthew Boardley is "Security Area Director at Heinz Field," but Landmark says Boardley is a "part-time, hourly, intermittent" employee, not in management; that his work "does not involve weapons of any kind;" and that "no Landmark employee is allowed to bring weapons onto client premises."
The wording of the lawsuit complaint filed with the court says, "Plaintiff Matthew Boardley...works as Security Area Director at Heinz Field, Stage AE, and the AJ Palumbo Center in the City of Pittsburgh." It says "as a result of his employment...he possesses, utilizes, transports, carries, and stores in his vehicle and on his person, both concealed and unconcealed, numerous firearms, ammunition, and magazines." It notes that "those firearms include, but are not limited to a semiautomatic AR-15 short-barrled rifle with an overall length of 30 inches, capable of accepting detachable magazines that have a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition."
In an emailed response to questions from Pittsburgh's Action News 4, Landmark representative Mike Harrison wrote:
"Matthew Boardley is a part-time, hourly, intermittent field staff and event security employee with Landmark Event Staffing Services, Inc. ("Landmark"). He is not in management with Landmark. Landmark's crowd management work at Heinz Field, the AJ Palumbo Center and other locations in the Pittsburgh area, including any work by Mr. Boardley, does not involve weapons of any kind. No Landmark employee is allowed to bring weapons onto client premises. All Landmark employees undergo extensive background checks and are subject to the same physical screening process as the general public when entering client venues. It is our understanding that Mr. Boardley's full-time job is as a Probation Officer in Washington County. Landmark cannot speak to the weapons requirements of that position."
When asked about the lawsuit's description of Boardley as "Security Area Director at Heinz Field," Harrison responded:
"He does not hold a title. Within the hourly field work force for events, we have event supervisory positions. These supervisors support the event staff if there are issues and make sure they are getting breaks. Some of those supervisory positions are called "Area Directors" as they are responsible for staff in a certain area of a venue during an event. This is not a management position, it is an event post, and often a particular staff employee might work as Event Staff at one event and Supervisor/Area Director at another event depending on the event requirements."
Duquesne University spokeswoman Rosemary Ravasio told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that the university has its own campus police and public safety staff who work at Palumbo Center events. She said Landmark employees who work at Palumbo events do not provide security; they work as ushers.
Stage AE did not respond to a request for comment.
The gun restrictions were approved in the wake of the mass shooting that killed 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill.
The legislation restricts military-style assault weapons like the AR-15 rifle authorities say was used in the synagogue attack.
It also bans most uses of armor-piercing ammunition and high-capacity magazines and allows the temporary seizure of guns from people determined to be a danger to themselves or others.
Gun rights advocates say state law forbids municipalities from regulating the ownership or possession of firearms and ammunition. Courts have thrown out previous municipal attempts at regulation.
(The Associated Press contributed to this article.)