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Suspension of Couple's Gun Rights Because Their College Student Daughter Drew Allegedly Threatening Images Violated Second Amendment

A police investigation had "verified that Plaintiffs' weapons were secured in a safe and that their daughter did not have access to them."

Eugene Volokh | 8.26.2026 12:56 PM

Some short excerpts from the long Ganz v. Nassau County, decided Monday by Magistrate Judge James Wicks (E.D.N.Y.):

The Plaintiffs are residents of Nassau County, New York and have held New York State pistol licenses since 2020. The licenses were issued to Plaintiffs by the NCPD PLS [Pistol License Section]….

In February of 2024, the Plaintiffs' daughter, who was enrolled in the SUNY Old Westbury College …, was admitted to a Massachusetts hospital for mental health treatment. In September 2024, a patient at the Massachusetts hospital contacted the SUNY school to report that Plaintiffs' daughter had drawn threatening images. Plaintiffs' daughter was then transported by the NCPD to Nassau University Medical Center. Plaintiffs' daughter informed the police that the picture was not depicting any type of shooting or threat.

The SUNY college and its police force, after having been informed of the accusation, handled the school-threat investigation. However, NCPD officers responded to Plaintiffs' home to ascertain the daughter's condition….

Plaintiffs came to [Nassau County Police Investigator] Cafarella's attention on September 18, 2024, after beginning his review of a police incident report concerning the Plaintiffs' daughter. This was a result of Nassau County being notified by SUNY Old Westbury Administration that Plaintiffs' daughter was accused of drawing disturbing pictures of mass shootings….

Cafarella reviewed a written report indicating that a supervisor from the 1st Precinct verified that Plaintiffs' weapons were secured in a safe and that their daughter did not have access to them. The report also indicated that Plaintiffs were pistol license holders, and that they "refused to surrender" their........

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