A new law that prevents most New Yorkers from purchasing bullet-resistant vests does not apply to the type of body armor worn by the gunman who killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket in May.
New York’s new law barring sales of bullet-resistant vests to most civilians does not cover the type of armor worn by the gunman who killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket, a gap that could limit its effectiveness in deterring future military-style assaults. During the May 14, Payton Gendron wore a steel-plated vest. The armor was strong enough to stop a handgun round fired by a store security guard who tried to halt Gendron’s rampage. A law hastily enacted by state lawmakers after the attack restricts sales of vests defined as “bullet-resistant soft body armor.”
Soft vests, which are light and can be concealed beneath clothing, can be effective against pistol fire. Vests carrying steel, ceramic or polyethylene plates, which can potentially protect against rifle rounds, are not explicitly covered by the legislation. That has left some retailers confused about what they can and cannot sell — and lawmakers talking about a possible fix.
“I know you said soft vests, but what about hard armor plates, plate carriers, or armors that aren’t vests, but clothing that provide protection. Is that also prohibited? It is so vague”, said Brad Pedell, who runs 221B Tactical, a tactical gear and body armor store in New York City. He said his store tends to sell more hard-plated armor than the soft type being banned. With the toughest armor still allowed to be sold, “I’m not convinced that this legislation is very meaningful”, said Warren Eller, a public policy professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
