A divided Supreme Court rejected on Thursday to hear a challenge to a state ban on assault weapons, which refers to semiautomatic rifles that are popular among gun owners and have also been used in mass killings.

As is customary, the majority declined to explain its reasons for rejecting the case involving firearms such as the AR-15. However, three conservative justices on the nine-member court openly expressed their disagreement, while a fourth indicated he is uncertain that such restrictions are constitutional.

Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch indicated they would have considered the case, while Justice Clarence Thomas wrote separately, saying the statute certainly violates the Second Amendment, the Associated Press reported.

“I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America,” Thomas wrote. “That question is of critical importance to tens of millions of law-abiding AR–15 owners throughout the country.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by President Donald Trump concurred with the decision to dismiss the case now, but he is doubtful that such prohibitions are constitutional and anticipates that the court will consider the matter “in the next term or two.”