Legislation that would make it legal for residents to carry guns — concealed or openly —without a permit or training, is being considered in South Carolina.
And its passage would be a travesty in the wake of Dylann Roof's murder of nine people at a Charleston church in 2015, The Charlotte Observer said in an editorial published Tuesday.
"South Carolina routinely ranks in the top 10 for gun deaths and is considering legislation that could encourage even more gun ownership," the newspaper said.
It said Roof's massacre "was the catalyst for the removal of the Confederate flag from Statehouse grounds."
Still, according to The Observer, which is based in Charolotte, NC, no consensus on gun rights in The Palmetto State has emerged the way it did for the flag.
"Which is why the state might adopt an extreme law instead of passing any of several sensible gun bills it has also been considering," the newspaper said.
In January, Roof was sentenced to death for the slaughter of nine people at Emanuel AME church.
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