Judge dismisses Ken Paxton lawsuit challenging State Fair of Texas gun ban

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A Dallas County district judge dismissed state Attorney General Ken Paxton’s suit against the State Fair of Texas and the City of Dallas, for gun restrictions that were enacted following a 2023 shooting that injured three people at the fairgrounds.

Judge Emily Tobolowsky granted the city and Texas state fair summary judgment and dismissed the case at a June 24 hearing before it could go to trial. The judge had previously denied Paxton’s request for a stay on the fair’s ability to enact its gun policy in 2024.

The ruling came a day after the 23-year-old gunman, Cameron Turner, pleaded guilty on June 23 to two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and for carrying a weapon in a prohibited space. He will serve a 12- and 10-year sentence concurrently.

An appeals court and the Supreme Court of Texas had also denied Paxton’s appeal to stop the gun restrictions from going into effect. The fair previously allowed attendees with valid handgun licenses to carry their weapon as long as it was concealed.

The State Fair of Texas is pleased with the outcome of the case and takes, “no political position on the complex issues related to the lawful carrying of firearms in Texas,” Karissa Condoianis, a State Fair spokesperson, told the Tribune in a statement.

“Last year the State Fair adopted a comparable policy to that of most all similar events in Texas, such as athletic competitions, concerts, and other fairs and festivals throughout the state. The State Fair of Texas spends millions of dollars each year on safety and security measures,” Condoianis said.

The fair will continue to work with the Dallas Police Department and the fair’s safety team, along with active and retired peace officers who are authorized to carry within the fairgrounds, Condoianis said.

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The Texas Tribune has reached out to the City of Dallas and the attorney general’s office for comment but has not received a response.

Paxton’s lawsuit alleged that the city and the State Fair were violating state law and the second amendment rights of Texans by restricting licensed gun owners' ability to carry firearms during the 24-day event.

“Municipalities cannot nullify state law nor can they avoid accountability by contracting official functions to nominally third parties,” Paxton said in a 2024 statement. “Neither the City of Dallas nor the State Fair of Texas can infringe on Texans’ right to self-defense.”

The court’s ruling comes after the state Legislature considered Senate Bill 1065, which targeted the State Fair’s ability to enact gun restrictions as a contractor with the government. The bill failed to reach the House floor for a vote.

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