U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp extended an order allowing the National Guard to seize arms from civilians.
Mapp, an independent, signed an executive order in September that stated the Adjutant General is “authorized and directed to seize arms, ammunition… and any other property that may be required by the military forces for the performance of this emergency mission.”
The order declaring a state of emergency and putting the state’s national guard in active duty came ahead of Hurricane Irma’s impact on the USVI. Two Category 5 hurricanes, Irma and Maria, both devastated the USVI this fall, and Mapp declared on December 1 an extension of his previous order to last through January 4, 2018.
Gov. Mapp told TheDC in a phone interview Thursday that the national guard “is not authorized to take arms and munitions from civilians,” and complained that he continues to receive “foolish” questions about this.
