Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto Responds To City Council Vote

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh City Council Tuesday morning, on a vote of 6 to 3, approved stricter gun laws. They were first proposed after last year's mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, which claimed 11 lives.

Among other weapons, the gunman was armed with an AR-15.

Looking ahead to all-but-certain court challenges, Mayor Bill Peduto said, "even though we're going to fight a legal battle, it's worth having until common sense prevails and dictates gun laws."

The new measure, among other things, would place restrictions on military style weapons and ban the use of armor piercing ammunition, and high capacity magazines.

Hours after the vote, and after a brief ceremony in the lobby of the City-County building, Mayor Peduto said he was ready to take on a court fight, involving gun advocates, which, of course, include the NRA.

"We're not surprised by the lawsuit, we anticipated it," said Peduto. "We look forward to the next part of the challenge, through the court system."

Peduto offered assurances to city residents that they will be not be burdened with any lawsuit-related costs.

"Even if there was a cost to taxpayers, which there won't be, but, even if there was, the cost of this bill saving just one life is worth more than the money that would be well spent."