A judge in the U.S. state of Virginia has struck down a federal law prohibiting the sale of handguns to 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds, ruling the ban is an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment. 

Washington, May 13 (RHC)-- A judge in the U.S. state of Virginia has struck down a federal law prohibiting the sale of handguns to 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds, ruling the ban is an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment. 

The Justice Department will likely ask the judge to put the ruling on hold while it appeals the decision.

The gun control advocacy group Everytown Law said Thursday’s ruling will put lives at risk, adding: “Not only are guns the leading cause of death for U.S. kids and teens, but research shows us that 18- to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 years and older.”

In related news, in Texas, the state House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill banning devices that can turn handguns into fully automatic firearms.   The devices, commonly called “Glock switches,” are already illegal under federal law.  

Texas lawmakers did not advance a bill that would have raised the age to purchase a semiautomatic assault rifle to 21.  This came as high school students across Texas walked out of classes to demand new laws preventing gun violence.  Their protests came less than a week after the mass shooting in Allen.