COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A new gun safety proposal is on its way to Atlanta for the 2026 legislative session after Columbus City Council unanimously approved it.
District 4 Councilor Toyia Tucker requested an amendment to the Georgia Code to prohibit the carrying of firearms and other dangerous weapons in recreation centers.
Tucker told council members that recreation center staff are seeing weapons too often, and one incident turned fatal.
"We had young boys coming into Carver Park with weapons, placing them on the bench. You know, you can see it open in their bookbag," Tucker said. "Sadly, even the incident that occurred, regarding the individual that, you know, unfortunately, was murdered. He had a weapon."
Some councilors raised concerns about restricting self-defense, but Columbus Police officials echoed Tucker's position, calling it a matter of common sense.
"At some point, there has to be a little common sense approach to this thing," Assistant Chief Lance Deaton said.
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He added, "Allowing people to come into these rec centers where you've got elementary school kids and elderly people to walk in with guns, I just don't see the negative of restricting people from being able to carry firearms inside of parks and rec facilities. From a law enforcement perspective, I just don't."
For Tucker, the push is also about protecting employees who are still shaken by what they've witnessed.
"Courtney has not been back to work in almost a month," Tucker said. "She called me and said, 'Toyia, I can't do it. I can't. I'm begging y'all, put in some way.'"
Tucker expressed, "She doesn't even want to go to the building. She was down under a table trying to make sure that she stays alive. We are talking about the lives of our employees right now in this vote."
The measure now heads to the state legislature for consideration in 2026.
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