NBC News: Atlanta Shooter Used 9mm Handgun ‘Purchased Legally’

gun purchase
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A report from NBC News notes the gunman who killed eight people in Atlanta Tuesday used a 9mm handgun that was “purchased legally.”

NBC News cites “two senior law enforcement officials” claiming the handgun was “purchased legally” earlier in the day on Tuesday.

When law enforcement says a gun was acquired “legally,” that indicates it was acquired via a background check at retail. Democrats are currently pushing a piece of legislation, H.R. 8, to expand retail point-of-sale background checks so they will cover private points-of-sale as well.

Breitbart News reported the Atlanta attacker targeted three massage parlors, killing eight people in total and wounding three others.

News that the alleged attacker got his gun “legally” means he is only the latest in a long line of public attackers to do so.

These attackers also acquired their guns via a background check at retail:

  • Parkland high school attacker (February 14, 2018)
  • Texas church attacker (November 5, 2017)
  • Las Vegas attacker (October 1, 2017)
  • Alexandria attacker (June 14, 2017))
  • Orlando attacker (June 12, 2016)
  • UCLA gunman (June 1, 2016))
  • San Bernardino attackers (December 2, 2015)
  • Colorado Springs attacker (October 31, 2015)
  • Umpqua Community College attacker (October 1, 2015)
  • Alison Parker’s attacker (August 26, 2015)
  • Lafayette movie theater attacker (July 23, 2015)
  • Chattanooga attacker (July 16, 2015)
  • Alleged Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal attacker (Jun 17, 2015)
  • Muhammad Carton Contest attackers (May 3, 2014)
  • Las Vegas cop killers (June 9, 2015)
  • Santa Barbara attacker (May 23, 2014)
  • Fort Hood attacker (April 2, 2014)
  • Arapahoe High School attacker (December 13, 2013)
  • D.C. Navy Yard attacker (September 16, 2013)
  • Aurora movie theater attacker (July 20, 2012)
  • Gabby Giffords’ attacker (January 8, 2011)
  • Fort Hood attacker (November 5, 2009)
  • Northern Illinois University attacker (February 14, 2008)
  • Virginia Tech attacker (April 16, 2007)
  • And many others

The House passed H.R. 8 last weekend and the New York Times quoted Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), praising background checks as means to “reduce gun violence the right way.”

Moreover, Mike Bloomberg-affiliated Everytown for Gun Safety claims, “Requiring background checks on all gun sales is proven to reduce gun violence.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkinsa weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.

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