Youngstown State University Stadium's Reported ‘Prohibited Items' Rules Raise Legal Questions

“Security beefed up at YSU stadium following shooting,” Youngstown News reports. “A Cardinal Mooney [High School] student was shot at YSU’s Stambaugh Stadium Saturday evening,” an earlier story reported.

Cardinal Mooney posted an information sheet on Facebook detailing prohibited behaviors and items. Among them are “Weapons of any kind, including off-duty law enforcement, weapons, pipes, knives or chains.” And attendees who obey the rules will go through metal detectors to make sure. (When approached with this information on its Facebook post, the Cardinal Mooney representative replied they would seek clarification from YSU. A review of the Stambaugh Stadium “Football Gameday” page does not include an armed off-duty police ban in its “Prohibited Items” list.)

That the shot student was found on a bench outside the stadium where none of this would have made a difference, seems not to be a factor in the reaction. Neither, evidently, is Ohio law, at least as it applies to “off-duty law enforcement.”

Per Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost in an informational bulletin from December, 2024, “Officers may carry firearms in public establishments.  Under Ohio law, establishments serving the public may not prohibit or restrict a law enforcement officer, investigator or peace officer who possesses valid identification from carrying his/her authorized weapon on the premises. This holds true whether or not the officer is working or in uniform. (Ohio Revised Code Section 2923.1214(A)).”  (This also raises questions on if this policy applies to off-duty federal law enforcement officers who work out of local offices and may have children in school they wish to see play.)

NOTE: Open carry of firearms on college campuses is legal in Ohio, as demonstrated in the 2018 Firearms News article “Kent State Open Carry Walk Shows 'Reasoned Discourse' with Gun-Grabbers Impossible,” but not in designated areas, buildings and stadiums. And while some gun owners may object to off-duty police having an “Only Ones” objection – so named after a DEA agent told a classroom full of schoolchildren he was “the only one in the room … qualified” to carry a Glock and then promptly shot himself in the leg while trying to holster it – the issue here is YSU officials do not have authority to override state preemption on gun laws and impose local prohibitions. It should also be noted that under a law signed by former Ohio Governor John Kasich, it is legal for citizens to lock their firearm in their vehicles while parking within any state university or state collage parking areas.

One would think they’d understand that. After all, YSU President Bill Johnson is a former Republican Congressman considered a “strong ally of the National Rifle Association,” who “often earned ‘A’ or ‘A+’ ratings from the NRA Political Victory Fund for his support of gun rights, including an endorsement in his 2012 campaign.”

Firearms News attempted to contact the State Attorney General’s Office, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department, the Youngstown Police Department, and the Youngstown State University Police for their comment on whether the ban on armed off-duty officers is legal and enforceable. The Sheriff’s representative replied that the question should be put to University Police. It appears that even the highest law enforcement officer, won’t be defending his deputies’ right to carry firearms when they are disarmed before entering the stadium.

The Deputy Press Secretary for AG Yost sent a copy of the above-referenced information bulletin with the comment “Please see the attached document from our office. It speaks for itself.” When queried “if enforced will AG Yost challenge it? And do you have a feel for if this would also apply to off-duty federal LE assigned to local offices who may have family reasons to attend the games?” he replied, “You would need to contact the local law director, as they would handle any potential legal action in a local matter such as this.”

At this writing, there has been no response to voicemail messages left with the YSU Police Department and the Youngstown Police Department.

About the Author

David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. In addition to being a regular featured contributor for Firearms News and AmmoLand Shooting Sports News, he blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.

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