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Will San Francisco's Last Gun Store Surrender To Proposed Gun Control Law?

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – High Bridge Arms has become a tourist destination of sorts, but for how long? The last San Francisco gun shop could soon be going out of business.

"Should this pass, we'll probably close," said Steve Alcairo of High Bridge Arms.

High Bridge Arms
Steve Alcairo of High Bridge Arms in San Francisco. (CBS)

Alcairo is referring to proposed legislation that could impose even more restrictions on his store.

The ordinance about to be formally introduced by Supervisor Mark Farrell would require all sales to be recorded on video and information handed over to San Francisco Police.

Alcairo points out that his store already has 17 surveillance cameras and he says he's already required to hand over any video the police request. But this takes it a step further.

"What we don't do is voluntarily give private information to the police department. Voluntarily, we just don't do that. People are very private about their information," Alcairo told KPIX 5.

He believes if the new law passes it will have a chilling effect on his business.

"Seems that they're just trying to take the guns away from the people," said Stephen Thorlton, a gun buyer.

Farrell told KPIX 5, "The goal here is not to run anybody out of business. But from my perspective, the public safety of San Francisco residents come first."

The supervisor said the city attorney is still reviewing the proposal, but he expects to introduce it sometime this month.

"A gun store in San Francisco, it's not something I'm particularly concerned about," Farrell said. "I'm first and foremost, and way more than the existence of a gun store, concerned about the public safety of our residents. And if one has to trump the other, I am completely comfortable with that."

"The element we're concerned with, they don't shop here. They don't," Alcairo said. "I mean you're going to get video surveillance of people who are coming in here legally buying stuff with their identification, criminals are not doing that."

If approved, the owner of the store is not inclined to challenge the measure in court.

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