Latest news with #CameronTurner
CBS News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Attorney General Ken Paxton's gun restrictions lawsuit against the State Fair of Texas dismissed
A Dallas County judge dismissed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuit against the State Fair of Texas and the City of Dallas for gun restrictions, court documents reveal. The lawsuit said the fair's new gun policy violates state law permitting licensed gun owners to lawfully carry in places owned or leased by governmental entities. During the 2023 fair, Cameron Turner opened fire, shooting three people, prompting the new gun policy that prohibits concealed carry and open carry of firearms or weapons on fairgrounds. The dispute boiled down to whether the fair, as a private entity leasing public land, is subject to the same legal restrictions around prohibiting guns as the city or another public entity. Fair Park, where the annual State Fair of Texas is held, is owned by the City of Dallas. In September, Paxton filed an expedited appeal after a Dallas County judge upheld the fair's gun ban. The judge ruled almost immediately in favor of the City of Dallas and the fair. The fair's policy faced significant opposition from lawmakers, with 70 state legislators signing a letter accusing the ban of undermining public safety. Despite the backlash and legal threats, the fair has maintained its stance on the new policy. "We accept people's rights and we are in support of those, this is just a measure to create a further family-friendly atmosphere," State Fair of Texas representative Karissa Condoianis said in 2024.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge dismisses Ken Paxton lawsuit challenging State Fair of Texas gun ban
A Dallas County district judge dismissed state Attorney General Ken Paxton's suit against the State Fair of Texas and the City of Dallas, for gun restrictions that were enacted following a 2023 shooting that injured three people at the fairgrounds. Judge Emily Tobolowsky granted the city and Texas state fair summary judgment and dismissed the case at a June 24 hearing before it could go to trial. The judge had previously denied Paxton's request for a stay on the fair's ability to enact its gun policy in 2024. The ruling came a day after the 23-year-old gunman, Cameron Turner, pleaded guilty on June 23 to two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and for carrying a weapon in a prohibited space. He will serve a 12- and 10-year sentence concurrently. An appeals court and the Supreme Court of Texas had also denied Paxton's appeal to stop the gun restrictions from going into effect. The fair previously allowed attendees with valid handgun licenses to carry their weapon as long as it was concealed. The State Fair of Texas is pleased with the outcome of the case and takes, 'no political position on the complex issues related to the lawful carrying of firearms in Texas,' Karissa Condoianis, a State Fair spokesperson, told the Tribune in a statement. 'Last year the State Fair adopted a comparable policy to that of most all similar events in Texas, such as athletic competitions, concerts, and other fairs and festivals throughout the state. The State Fair of Texas spends millions of dollars each year on safety and security measures,' Condoianis said. The fair will continue to work with the Dallas Police Department and the fair's safety team, along with active and retired peace officers who are authorized to carry within the fairgrounds, Condoianis said. The Texas Tribune has reached out to the City of Dallas and the attorney general's office for comment but has not received a response. Paxton's lawsuit alleged that the city and the State Fair were violating state law and the second amendment rights of Texans by restricting licensed gun owners' ability to carry firearms during the 24-day event. 'Municipalities cannot nullify state law nor can they avoid accountability by contracting official functions to nominally third parties,' Paxton said in a 2024 statement. 'Neither the City of Dallas nor the State Fair of Texas can infringe on Texans' right to self-defense.' The court's ruling comes after the state Legislature considered Senate Bill 1065, which targeted the State Fair's ability to enact gun restrictions as a contractor with the government. The bill failed to reach the House floor for a vote. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
CBS News
23-06-2025
- CBS News
Gunman in 2023 State Fair of Texas shooting pleads guilty before trial was set to begin
The gunman who opened fire and injured three people at the State Fair of Texas in 2023 pleaded guilty before his trial was set to even begin. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail. Cameron Turner, 23, was indicted with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and for being unlicensed carrying a weapon in a prohibited place for the shooting at the State Fair of Texas. His bond was set at $1.6 million. According to Dallas County court records, Turner will earn 619 days of credit for time already served. Jury selection was supposed to begin on Monday, with the trial beginning on Tuesday. 2023 State Fair of Texas shooting Turner told police that on Oct. 14, 2023, he acted in self-defense, although according to the arrest warrant, his story didn't fully line up with security video. The warrant said that on the video, several men were seen in the background approaching Turner. One of them then stopped and exchanged words with Turner, then he allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired three to four times, hitting the man who approached him along with two others who were nearby. The man who confronted Turner was one of the three people who were shot.
