SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ever since the murder of her son, Greg Najee Grimes, three years ago outside a nightclub, Deborah Grimes has said it’s her advocacy work fighting against gun violence that has helped her through the tragedy.

“I wanted to be able to have purpose,” she said. “Turn that pain into purpose and do something meaningful with it.”

What You Need To Know

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law, Assembly Bill 1127, that bans handguns that use a striker firing system, such as with Glock handguns, versus a hammer firing system

California already banned switches, but it is the first state to ban handguns that can easily convert into automatic weapons

Gun rights associations have already signaled they plan to file a lawsuit against the state

Legislators behind the new law said they are asking manufacturers to reconfigure gun designs so they aren’t easily modified

Grimes said her son was a wonderful father, a mentor to many and cared about the community he lived in, and the community had great respect for him.

The gun Grimes said was used to kill Najee was a modified handgun using a switch device, turning it into a machine gun, allowing it to fire up to 30 rounds in 2 seconds.

She said she was happy to hear about Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a new law, Assembly Bill 1127, which bans handguns that use a striker firing system, such as with Glock handguns, versus a hammer firing system.

“AB 1127 will save lives,” Grimes said. “I’m telling you, we were just ecstatic when we got the information that the governor had signed it just a couple of days ago here. And we have been a part of that movement, working with Assemblymember [Jesse] Gabriel, and also the other Assembly members who had signed onto that legislation.”

California already banned switches, but it is the first state to ban handguns that can easily convert into automatic weapons.

Legislators behind the new law said they are asking manufacturers to reconfigure gun designs so they aren’t easily modified.

Justin Davis owns Davis GunWorx in Sacramento. He believes the new law is misguided.

“Criminals are criminals because they don’t follow the law,” Davis said. “So, they’re going to still get what they want, do what they want to do. But the law-abiding citizens, the ones that you’re harming [with the new law] and the ones they’re taking the rights away from.”

He also said Glock and Glock-style guns make up a big percentage of most gun store sales in the state.

“We’ll do our best to stay open,” Davis said. “But I mean, this could devastate the gun business in California.”

The ban begins next year, but stores are allowed to sell stock inventoried before the start of 2026.

But Davis said that doesn’t help as the news has already created a rush on the guns.

“I’m already noticing and seeing a lot of my distributors already out,” Davis said. “And so now it’s kind of, once they’re out, they’re out.”

Gun rights associations have already signaled they plan to file a lawsuit against the state.

Whatever happens, Grimes said she knows the fight to save lives due to gun violence is an ongoing effort for her and her family.

“In honor of our son, so yes, that will forever be a part [activism] of our lives,” Grimes said.

So others, she said, don’t have to suffer such a tragic loss.