‘The Journal News’ Hires Armed Guards After Publishing Gun Owner’s Names

The Journal News hired armed security guards to protect its offices after publishing the names of gun owners. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the newspaper listed the names of gun permit holders on December 23. The controversial article reportedly prompted angry phones calls and emails to The Journal News headquarters.

The New York City area newspaper published an interactive map of gun permit holder’s names and addresses in Rockland and Westchester counties, the Daily Mail notes. Newspaper editor Caryn A. McBride hired armed security guards from RGA Investigations and Security to patrol the publication’s offices, the Rockland County Times reports.

The Journal News hiring of armed guards was revealed just a few days after the newspaper voiced plans to expand the list of gun owner’s names and addressed. The New York City area paper is owned by Gannett Corporation. “The Gun Owner Next Door: What You Don’t Know About The Weapons In our Neighborhood” article was reportedly published in response to the Sandy Hook tragedy in Newtown where 20 children and six adults were murdered by Adam Lanza.

The next list of gun owner’s names and addresses will reportedly focus on Putnam County residents who legally own weapons. The three New York counties are home to an estimated 44,000 handgun owning residents. Shotgun and rifle owners do not need firearms permits, according to The Journal News article.

In response to the outrage from gun owners about the publication of names and addresses, Republican New York State Senator Greg Ball announced plans to introduce a bill to keep such information private to everyone except law enforcement officers and prosecutors.

Senator Ball had this to say about the gun owner’s names and addresses article:

“The asinine editors at The Journal News have once again gone out of their way to place a virtual scarlet letter on law abiding firearm owners throughout the region.”