AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

A mass shooting recently rocked the state of Virginia. What happened in Virginia Beach was awful on every level. That’s true of all mass shooting events, after all.

With that in mind, it’s not surprising that other cities in Virginia are going to take a look at their own house. They want to take this to heart and make sure they’re not the next city we’re talking about. I get that.

However, it looks like the city of Richmond is determined to do everything wrong.

Richmond City Council has approved an ordinance banning guns from city buildings and parks.

The ordinance was introduced by Mayor Levar Stoney at a press conference last week and was fast-tracked to a vote before the state legislature meets for a special session on gun control July 9. Stoney said the proposal was a response to two incidents in May: the mass shooting in Virginia Beach and the shooting death of 9-year-old Markiya Dickson in a Richmond park. The proposal passed 7-0-2 with Council Members Kristen Larson and Reva Trammell abstaining.

Richmond Police Chief Will Smith presented the proposal in the Mayor’s absence. He said the gun ban would help provide another layer of security.

“We are somewhat behind the times in that we are a very open, easily accessible administration,” Smith said. “We really should take a view of what the modern threat is within the workplace, within doing business in public.”

Smith said the city was currently drafting a comprehensive security strategy that will be presented to City Council within 30 days. He said that strategy changes will include details on the cost of installing metal detectors at every entrance to City Hall. Councilman Michael Jones currently has a paper in support of metal detectors that is working its way through Council.

All any of that will do is make sure mass shooters have even more advantages when they decide to commit their crimes.

In Virginia Beach, we already know that the rules prevented one law-abiding citizen from carrying a firearm that could have saved lives. By taking it up to the status of all, all that will happen is even fewer will be willing to carry. Many people who may be willing to ignore policy won’t ignore law.

The mass shooter isn’t going to give a damn about the law. If they did, then the laws against murder would be sufficient all on their own.

“Oh, but the metal detectors will keep the guns out.”

There are metal detectors in schools all over this country. At the same time, we’re being told that our children aren’t the least bit safe on the other side of those metal detectors, so you’ll excuse me if I don’t trust their utility.

If someone wants to get a gun in those buildings, they’ll get a gun in those buildings. This new measure will make sure the only people who are going to try are those with nefarious intentions and a disregard for the law.

You know, people like mass shooters, who I’m sure are thanking the Richmond City Council right now.