WRAL has the news and the video (starting with about six minutes to go):
Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker said no pistol purchase or concealed carry permits can be requested through the end of April to try to keep the new coronavirus out of the sheriff’s office. The hiatus will give deputies a chance to catch up on the backlog of pending permits, he said.
Nearly 300 people a day have applied for permits so far this year, more than triple the number last year, officials said.
I cannot find in state law where the sheriff has this authority. It’s not in the Emergency Management Act. It’s not in grounds for refusal to issue a pistol permit. This is a shall-issue state, and the sheriff’s office is required to respond to a permit request within 14 days.
This is a bad move by the sheriff’s office affecting people’s fundamental civil rights.
