Nothing in his background legally prevented the shooter in Wednesday’s on-air killing of two Virginia television journalists from purchasing his two Glock handguns, NBC News reported Thursday.
Flanagan was arrested in North Carolina in 2004 for a traffic misdemeanor violation that was later dismissed, according to NBC.
Even a conviction wouldn’t have disqualified Flanagan, who professionally went by the name Bryce Williams, from owning firearms because the federal firearms background check system, National Instant Criminal Background Check System, has very specific requirements for disbarment, including a felony conviction or a dishonorable discharge from the military.
From NBC:
As for his mental health, the standard in federal law is very high: “adjudicated as a mental defective” or “committed to a mental institution.” Nothing in Flanagan’s history indicates that either standard fit him, despite his reputation as an unstable co-worker.
Unfortunately the standard for gun violence is very low. Maybe we should try to calibrate standards.
Yeah! What you said!
No big deal…this is just the price we pay for 'merican ecseptictionanalism and freedumb!!!11!!111
Thank God we live in a free country!!!11!!!11
Feature, not a bug. More people like him committing crazy acts of gun violence = more perceived need to be armed for self-defense = more gun sales.
Sniffit if this law thing doesn’t work out, you have a bright future in marketing.