Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty Images
A federal judge temporarily blocked New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's 30-day ban on carrying guns in Bernalillo County, which includes Albuquerque, the state's most populous city.
U.S. District Judge David Uria blocked the ban from taking effect until October 3. The controversial public health order is facing lawsuits from gun rights groups and has been condemned by Republicans and Democrats.
Bernalillo County Sheriff Sheriff John Allen joined with Albuquerque officials and said he would not enforce the law. In addition, the state's Attorney General, Raúl Torrez, informed Lujan Grisham that his official will not defend the law.
"Simply put, I do not believe that the Emergency Order will have any meaningful impact on public safety, but, more importantly, I do not believe it passes constitutional muster," he told her in a letter.
Lujan Grisham enacted the ban last Friday (September 8) in response to rising gun violence in Albuquerque, including a recent shooting of an 11-year-old boy near a minor league baseball stadium.