New York State Senator Calls For Ban On Machete Sales To Minors
BAY SHORE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- State Sen. Phil Boyle of Suffolk County announced legislation Thursday to prohibit the sale of machetes to minors.
He was joined by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini.
"Currently a minor can go in and just buy the machete, don't have to give any reason why they're going to use it, some of them may be using it for legitimate purposes -- landscaping or something like that -- but unfortunately many of these sales are simply the sale of a weapon that's later used in a crime," Boyle told 1010 WINS.
Police said Brentwood teenagers Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens were murdered by alleged gang members using machetes and baseball bats last September.
More than a dozen alleged members of the MS-13 gang were charged with the murders last week, along with five others.
"It's unbelievable probably for a lot of people but the weapon of choice for a lot of gang members has become machetes," Boyle said.
The legislation is similar to laws banning ninja stars.
"Even box cutters are prohibited from sale to minors and I think the machete being banned is a common sense extension of that," Boyle said.
He calls it an important piece of legislation.
"We're going to protect citizens against this heinous use of machetes and in essence take away one of the weapons that gang members here on Long Island and throughout New York State are using for their horrible crimes," Boyle said.