Impossible! "New York City, which is effectively a "No-Issue" jurisdiction." The shooter had complete disregard for the law. The nerve of some people.
New York is one of the strictest states in the nation with regards to the purchase, possession and carrying of handguns.[1] Most of New York State gun laws are covered in two sections of New York Penal law: article 265 - Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons; and article 400 - Licensing and Other Provisions Relating to Firearms. These sections include the banning of possession of a handgun, exemptions to the handgun ban, including to those who have a license to carry, possess, hunt with and target shoot, repair, and dispose of firearms.
New York maintains a state level prohibition against the features listed in the now defunct Federal Assault Weapons Ban.[2][3][4] Magazines made after 1994 with a capacity in excess of 10 rounds are banned, as are rifles with two or more of the restricted features (pistol grip, bayonet lug, collapsible or folding stock, flash suppressor, and threaded barrel).[5][6][7]
New York is a "May-Issue" state, in that the individual licensing official has wide latitude and discretion in the issuance of Pistol Licenses, and additionally, has the option of placing a variety of restrictions on the manner and purpose for which the handgun can be carried. This discretion given to local authorities creates a state-wide patchwork of local handgun licensing policies. This diversity creates a climate in which the level of restriction a New York State resident will be required to abide by will vary extremely widely depending on the attitude of the issuing authority. Even those New York State residents who are the beneficiaries of pro-gun local policies (such as 'unrestricted carry' licenses), must still obtain a New York State Pistol License, apply for a purchase document for each handgun purchased, and possess only those handguns that are specifically registered to them.[6][7]
Of all the states that do issue carry pistol licenses, New York State has arguably the strictest handgun licensing policies in the nation.[1] New York City, which is effectively a "No-Issue" jurisdiction for carry pistol licenses,[8] has even stricter laws, including those regulating handguns exclusively kept at home.[9]