Clements and her friends were at the festival and were able to escape unhurt. Since surviving the rampage, Clements has fought for gun restrictions in Delaware and nationally as a part of groups such as Moms Demand Action.
After the shooting, Clements said she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. She’s written a book about recovering from the sadness and grief that plagued her.
“I couldn’t even go into a grocery store without looking for an exit or looking at the people differently,” Clements said. “You look at every person that you pass differently, and there’s no sense of like, comfort or stability in your life anymore.”
Friday’s verdict was the result of a legal proceeding that started with a Texas gun shop owner challenging the ban. Military veteran Michael Cargill argued that the Justice Department wrongly classified the accessories as illegal machine guns. Cargill was represented by the New Civil Liberties Alliance, a group funded by conservative donors such as the Koch network. Cargill’s attorneys acknowledged that bump stocks allow for rapid fire, but argued that they are different because the shooter has to put in more effort to keep the gun firing.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have their own bans on bump stocks. Delaware banned bump stocks and similar devices in 2018, making it a felony to buy, sell and transfer them. The state initiated a buyback program. A spokesperson for the Delaware Department of Justice says they’re reviewing Friday’s court decision. The legislation state lawmakers passed does not define bump stocks as “machine guns.”
Read More: Del. shooting victim ‘frustrated’ by SCOTUS gun ruling