Trinity Hosts Connecticut Attorney General William Tong for Discussion on Gun Safety and the Courts

Sajja Ranjit ’29

News Editor

On Monday, March 2, in the Joslin Family 1823 Room, Visiting Assistant Professor of Public Policy Evan Turiano, as well as around sixty students and faculty members gathered to listen to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong speak. Tong discussed the evolving landscape of gun regulation and its implications for Connecticut Law.

The event, hosted by Trinity’s Public Policy and Law program, centered around how recent Supreme Court decisions have reshaped the legal philosophy of the Second Amendment, which reads: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” and what those changes mean for Connecticut’s gun safety laws.

Professor Turiano opened the discussion by reflecting on his own connection to the issue. He recalled sitting in the same room as a Trinity Student in Dec. 2012 when he first heard the news of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. “As a young person, I felt powerless,” Turiano said, noting that Tong, then serving in the Connecticut General Assembly, helped lead the state’s legislative response in the tragedy’s aftermath. Tong described that period as one of the most emotionally difficult moments of his legislative career. He recounted standing in a crowded but silent Capitol hallway with Sandy Hook parents as lawmakers debated whether photographs of victims should be protected under Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act. “If you ever wonder how the sausage gets made,” Tong said, “that’s how it gets made, by real people making legal policy judgments about what’s right.”

Tong emphasized that Connecticut’s gun laws stem from the state’s constitutional “police power” or its authority to regulate for public safety. “Connecticut is a sovereign state,” Tong stated. “We have the power to police ourselves and to protect public safety.” During his time in the legislature, Tong helped pass the state’s assault weapons ban, large capacity magazine ban, bump stock ban, and domestic violence firearm restrictions. Now, as attorney general, his role is to defend those laws in court. 

Much of the discussion centered on the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which established a “history and tradition” test for evaluating gun regulations. Under this framework, courts must determine whether modern laws align with historical analogues from the founding or Reconstruction eras. Turiano noted that the decision dramatically altered the legal landscape, particularly for states like Connecticut with heavy gun regulations. Tong acknowledged that the ruling initially created uncertainty, but argued that subsequent cases such as United States v. Rahimi clarified the Court’s approach. “I know what we said in Bruen,” Tong paraphrased the Court’s later clarifications, explaining that historical analogues do not require an “exact copy” from the 18th century, but rather consistency with principles stated in the Constitution. “Connecticut’s gun laws are as strong as ever,” Tong said, noting that the state has successfully defended its assault weapons and magazine bans in federal court. 

Most of the questions posed by Turiano during the event came from his students. A question from Wesley Donahue ’26 asked about the gap between the popularity of gun safety measures in Connecticut and the challenges they face in courts and legislatures nationwide. Tong responded that while many residents support “common sense” reforms, gun ownership remains culturally and politically a charged topic. 

“There is something about guns culturally that is deeply ingrained in our society,” Tong said. Tong emphasized that he himself is a gun owner, describing his experience as a bird hunter who uses a 20-gauge shotgun with limited capacity. “I am a gun owner. I’m a hunter,” Tong said. “I hunt birds. And I eat the birds” He drew a distinction between firearms used for hunting and military-style rifles designed for rapid fire, arguing that certain weapons were engineered for battlefield lethality rather than sport or self defense and shouldn’t be accessible to the regular person. At the same time, Tong suggested that for some Americans, guns represent more than tools or constitutional rights. “They see it as an expression of their freedom and liberty,” Tong said. “They see it as an expression of their culture and their belief systems. I would say they see it as an expression of their masculinity which is a little too much sometimes, frankly.” Because of that cultural attachment, Tong explained, debates over gun regulation often transcend over policy details and become emotionally charged conflicts over identity. 

Other questions focused more on enforcement challenges. A question from Emmy Curtin ’28 asked about the rise of “ghost guns,” firearms assembled from parts that can be purchased online and built without serial numbers or background checks. Tong described them as a “huge problem,” explaining that their lack of traceability makes criminal investigations significantly more difficult. Unlike traditional firearms, ghost guns often leave no paper trail, complicating efforts by law enforcement to track how weapons move across state lines. Tong noted that his office has sued several out of state manufacturers and distributors that sell ghost gun components into Connecticut. 

The discussion concluded with a question from Ainsley Steele ’26 about what advice Tong would give students interested in public service of gun safety advocacy. “Engage,” Tong said. “Apply for internships. Go to law school. Contribute to the debate.” He added that the responsibility for protecting democracy and public safety will soon fall to the next generation. “Don’t look at me,” Tong said. “It’s on all of you.”