ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that the interior of a motor vehicle on a public roadway qualifies as a “public place” under state law. The decision came after a legal battle over whether a man carrying a BB gun in his car without a permit could be charged under Minnesota’s firearm statutes.
The case, State v. Bee, centered on Kyaw Be Bee, who was pulled over in 2022 by a Ramsey County Sheriff’s deputy. During the stop, the deputy found a BB gun under Bee’s driver’s seat. Bee did not have a permit to carry a firearm in public, and the state charged him with violating Minn. Stat. § 624.7181, which criminalizes carrying a BB gun, rifle, or shotgun in a public place without proper authorization.
A district court initially dismissed the case, ruling that the inside of a private vehicle was not a “public place.”
By F Riehl, Editor in Chief|