Nutter sees silver lining in Supreme Court’s gun ruling

While the U.S. Supreme Court this morning struck down Washington's longtime ban on handguns, Mayor Nutter said he was encouraged by the opinion as a whole.

Here are some excerpts from a City Hall news conference Nutter held at 1 p.m.

"What the Supreme Court decision speaks to is an individual's right to keep a weapon in their home for lawful self-defense purposes. What we are seeing on the streets of Philadelphia, of course, is not self defense. It is senseless violence and slaughter. What we are dealing with is not lawful ownership, but rather illegal activity.

"As much as we are concerned about an individual's right to own their own weapon, we are more concerned with cracking down on activity that is actually illegal.

"In limiting its opinion to the matter of self-defense, and in saying the right is not absolute, the United States Supreme Court decision today is an explicit statement of support for cities all across America who are creating reasonable measures to limit the ability of those who will do harm, who will maim, who will buy, carry weapons illegally.

"This is extraordinary and possibly an unprecedented statement by the U.S. Supreme Court."

The mayor also said the city would soon begin enforcing its new three gun laws. City lawyers are currently creating guidelines for how those laws should be enacted.