▁a ▁full - court ▁en ▁b anc ▁re he aring . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁pla int iffs ▁file d ▁a ▁pet ition ▁for ▁a ▁writ ▁of ▁cert ior ari ▁with ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁denied ▁the ▁writ , ▁with ▁Justice ▁Thomas , ▁joined ▁by ▁Justice ▁G ors uch , ▁diss ent ing : We ▁should ▁have ▁granted ▁cert ior ari ▁in ▁this ▁case . ▁The ▁approach ▁taken ▁by ▁the ▁en ▁b anc ▁court ▁is ▁in def ens ible , ▁and ▁the ▁pet ition ▁ra ises ▁important ▁questions ▁that ▁this ▁Court ▁should ▁address . ▁I ▁see ▁no ▁reason ▁to ▁await ▁another ▁case . ▁... ▁[ T ] he ▁Second ▁Am end ment ' s ▁core ▁purpose ▁further ▁supports ▁this ▁conclusion ▁that ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁bear ▁arms ▁extends ▁to ▁public ▁carry . ▁ ▁The ▁Court ▁in ▁H eller ▁emphas ized ▁that ▁" self - def ense " ▁is ▁" the ▁central ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁[ Second ▁Am end ment ] ▁right ▁itself ." ▁... ▁The ▁Court ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁den y ▁cert ior ari ▁in ▁this ▁case ▁reflect s ▁a ▁dist ress ing ▁tr end : ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Am end ment ▁as ▁a ▁dis f av ored ▁right . ▁... ▁I ▁do ▁not ▁think ▁we ▁should ▁stand ▁by ▁id ly ▁while ▁a ▁State ▁den ies ▁its ▁citizens ▁that ▁right , ▁particularly ▁when ▁their ▁very ▁lives ▁may