By Amanda Raymond

amanda.raymond@salisburypost.com

Recent comments from Mayor Karen Alexander had some people upset at the last Salisbury City Council meeting.

During the public comment period at Tuesday’s meeting, three people went up to speak about comments Mayor Karen Alexander made in a recent Post article about the shootings that have occurred in the last two years within the city and the county.

In the article, Alexander suggested a creating system for all gun sales, whether sold personally or through a dealer, to be registered and the information entered into a database that would be shared by each state on a national database as a possible way to deal with gun violence.

Before the public comment period started, Alexander said she had spoken with audience members about the issue before the meeting.

“I want to publicly apologize because, as a mayor, I have no authority whatsoever to say anything about the council doing anything,” she said.

Alexander went on to say gun registration is not an issue that the city deals with.

After checking with the attorney, Alexander asked that citizens who wanted to comment on anything other than the gun registration issue to make their comments first because she had to leave at 5:30 p.m.

When those citizens were done speaking, Council member Kenny Hardin made a motion to excuse the mayor and exchange duties with Mayor Pro-tem Maggie Blackwell, which passed unanimously.

Christopher Waller, who lives right outside of Salisbury but is the owner of Voodoo Custom Weapons in Salisbury, started off the comments.

He said he was asked to attend the meeting on behalf of his customers who do reside in the city.

“I feel that the need for discussion on violent crime is much more important at this point. I will say any call for gun registration is not only unconstitutional, but if (Alexander) believes that is representative of the people that voted to put her in office, she needs to find a new job,” he said. A row of supporters applauded him.

Waller went on to say that he saw a need for more Salisbury police officers to increase their presence in the community.

Vickie Benfield also spoke during the public comment period. She said she did not think gun registration would prevent crimes.

“We all know that the criminals are not going to register their guns,” she said.

Benfield said the real issue was the people committing the crimes.

“I’d like to see the right issue addressed, that it’s a heart condition not a gun problem,” she said.

Benfield’s comments drew applause from the same row of attendees.

David Pruitt also spoke. He said when he read the mayor’s comments it made him “sick.”

“What good does it do to register a gun when, you know, the person down the street who is a gang member or whatever, and not register his?” he asked. “Could be the same type of gun, but they’re going to come after the legal gun owner instead.”

The same row of attendees applauded again after Pruitt’s comments.

After the mayor’s announcements, council members Brian Miller and Kenny Hardin commented on the issue.

Miller said although he could not speak for all the council members, the violence in the community is something he believes the council takes seriously.

“This is something that I think that this council will act on as quickly as we can,” he said.

Hardin said people should direct the passion they have about gun registration and redirect it to trying to stop the violence in the community.

“I just would issue a challenge, not just to those that spoke but to everybody: Before you become critical, get involved and actually try to help stop this violence,” he said.

Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.