The suspected gunman responsible for the deadly shootings in the Texas cities of Midland and Odessa on Saturday evaded background checks by purchasing his weapon at a private sale.
According to multiple reports on Tuesday, suspected shooter Seth Aaron Ator had previously failed a background check due to a mental health issue. However, he managed to bypass the process this time by buying his AR-style rifle from a private seller, NBC News, Buzzfeed News, the Associated Press, and CBS News reported on Tuesday.
Under Texas law, private arms dealers aren’t required to run background checks on customers.
Ator allegedly killed seven people and injured at least 20 others while going on a shooting rampage on Saturday. He was killed by law enforcement in a shootout.
Was this the first, second, or third #GregAbbottMassacre?
Well Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and Speaker Bonnen hows all that access to mental health you touted as a win for Texas and Texans?
See…background checks don’t work! /s
Sutherland Springs church shooting 2017, 26 victims dead
El Paso 2019, 22 victims dead
Odessa and Midland 2019 7(?) victims dead
As I understand it, in Washington State, private sellers have to do background checks…I am wondering if that is true for the private seller who sold to the TX shooter. If so, hold his ass liable for damages.