Rep. Giarrusso Calls for Stricter Bomb Laws

REP. GIARRUSSO CALLS FOR STRICTER BOMB LAWS

5/2/2018

Providence, RI - State Representative Anthony Giarrusso (House District 30, East Greenwich and West Greenwich) is researching a legislative solution for individuals in Rhode Island found to be involved in bomb-making.

Rhode Island State House

Rep. Giarrusso’s initiative is in response to a pressure cooker bomb found on Hopkins Hill Road in West Greenwich. The device was constructed in a similar way to those used during the tragic Boston Marathon bombing of 2013. Thankfully, no one was hurt and several juveniles were implicated after police tracked similar appliances to residences in East Greenwich. The incident has raised concerns from law enforcement officials about how well Rhode Island’s explosive laws protect citizens in the modern age of domestic terrorism.

“This is all about preventing a tragedy here in Rhode Island,” said Rep. Giarrusso. “This is a difficult topic to legislate but if the current laws fail to address these new circumstances we need to update them. You cannot just arrest people for buying things that may be considered bomb-making materials like nitrogen fertilizer or pressure cookers, but we cannot ignore the fact that home-made explosive devices are being built in our state.

“I have asked our legal counsel at the State House to investigate this further and work with me to develop an effective response. If new legislation is what we need to protect people in Rhode Island from these devices, for which there really is only one use, I will file it immediately and ask that the General Assembly act during this legislative session,” Rep. Giarrusso said.

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