Charleston Co. councilman calls for assault weapons ban

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Charleston Co. councilman Henry Darby

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By Nikki Gaskins
ngaskins@abcnews4.com

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV)—The gun debate grows louder as a Charleston County councilman says the time to act is now.

"For us as a nation to let this kind of stuff go on, it's not only a sin, it's un-Godly!"

Henry Darby says the county can't afford to wait for the federal or state government to pass new gun control laws. He brought up gun control at Thursday's county finance meeting.

He is calling for his fellow council members to draft and support a resolution banning military style-guns.

"I hope the day would come when this country would grow up and do the right thing by its children. Who else do they have to defend them?" stated Darby during the meeting.

Darby, himself, is a gun owner and assistant principal at Fort Dorchester High.

"This is not to take away guns from the home or take away hunting rifles--it's not that at all. It's simply to limit weapons used in the military that we don't need in civilian life," said Darby.

The proposed resolution is not supported by fellow councilman and longtime NRA member, Elliott Summey.

"Guns don't kill people. It's the mentally deranged, the crazy people, the criminals of this world who kill people," said Summey. "When emotional things happen we tend to react. My father reacted and put 21 police officers in schools. I don't know if that's the answer or not."

Other council members were also quick to chime in on the heated issue.

"This county council has a lot on its plate. I don't think this is one that needs to be on our plate," said councilman Dickie Schweers.

Council woman Anna Johnson says she supports Darby's stance on banning assault weapons.

"To protect one's home, they don't need to have a type of gun that could destroy so many people," she said.

The discussion to ban assault weapons is only in its early stages, but Darby, an assistant principal at Fort Dorchester, says the issue can't afford to wait.

"Those of us who are silent--we are just as guilty as those persons who are pulling the trigger because we know better," said Darby.

Darby says in the coming weeks he expects the county to draft a resolution on gun control and continue the discussion a future council meeting.