Cobb commissioner-elect concerned about parking lot gun sales - Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

A newly-elected Cobb County commissioner fears firearms could get into the wrong hands at gun shows held at county-owned facilities. Commissioner-elect Lisa Cupid wants to make sure guns aren't sold illegally in the parking lots of those tax-funded properties.

The county earned $73,000 from 12 gun shows at public properties last year.

"My desire is just to make sure that when we have gun shows, that it doesn't make our vulnerable communities more vulnerable," said Cobb County Commissioner-Elect Lisa Cupid (D-District 4).

Cupid says gun violence is all too common in her district. She's concerned that illegal person-to-person gun sales could take place in county-owned parking lots during gun shows.

"We've passed word about wanting to make sure that we shore up our hand-to-hand gun sales and make sure that we do things that are consistent with the law at gun shows," Cupid said.

Cobb County's Parks and Recreation Department already prohibits the sale of anything on county property unless the parties are leasing space from the county. That includes person-to-person gun sales in the Civic Center parking lot.

"I do understand her concerns. And while they're valid - you don't know who's getting access to a firearm - the face of the matter is they can get weapons anywhere," said Reid Wolfe, who was shopping for a handgun for a family member at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna on Thursday.

Wolfe said he's a fan of gun shows at tax-funded facilities.

"By doing it in a public forum, you know, it shows it's OK, you're allowed to and if you want to protect yourself in any way or fashion you can do so," said Wolfe.

Cupid says she doesn't want to restrict the rights of gun owners, just keep illegal guns off the streets.

"And we want to make sure that we're taking as many steps as we can to limit the possibility of guns landing in the wrong hands," said Cupid.

Cupid will be sworn into office on Friday. She has already voiced her concerns about the sale of firearms at gun shows to Cobb County's police chief.