Paxton sues 4 DFW businesses, including State Fair, for not letting off-duty officers carry guns on-premise

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against five businesses in the state for allegedly prohibiting off-duty officers from entering with their firearms. The lawsuits, four of which are against North Texas businesses, claim that restricting peace officers, even when off-duty, from carrying authorized firearms poses a threat to public safety.

The businesses named in the lawsuits include The Factory in Deep Ellum (Dallas), Texas Trust CU Theatre (Grand Prairie), Meow Wolf (Grapevine), The Lucky Duck (San Antonio), and the State Fair of Texas.

The legal action is based on the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure article 2.1305, which imposes a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation.

Despite receiving written assurances from these establishments that they would comply with state law, complaints from peace officers prompted the lawsuits.

Paxton’s office is seeking to collect fines, attorney fees, and other court costs for each violation.