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For Immediate Release
8/11/99
STATEMENT OF SARAH BRADY RE:Los Angeles Shootings
"What can anyone say about children almost too young to walk escaping their daycare center, holding hands with armed police officers? In the last 16 months, we have also watched Columbine students, Jonesboro students, Springfield students and, for that matter, Atlanta day-traders running away from average, everyday places that became killing fields for madmen with guns.
"Here's what we can say. The suspect is once again a mentally deranged gunman, this time with ties to the most noxious, hate-filled, un-American groups in our society. As a convicted felon and someone who may have been adjudicated mentally ill by a court, it appears that Buford Furrow was a prohibited purchaser. He may not have been able to buy a new assault weapon in a licensed gun store, but…
He may have bought his weapon, which may be an older 'grandfathered' assault weapon, at a gun show or from any 'private dealer.' Washington State has no laws requiring background checks on private sales at gun shows or regulating secondary sales. Many gun shows sell white supremacist, Nazi and/or militia literature right alongside assault weapons with large ammunition magazines.
Although firearms manufactured since 1994 can legally hold no more than 10 bullets, and although it is illegal to hunt most animals with more than 10 bullets, a booming trade still exists in ammunition magazines which can hold up to 50 or 60 bullets. Many newer rifles, including the Bushmaster identified as Furrow's weapon, can hold older clips with enough ammunition to blow away a small army - or at least a daycare center. The Bushmaster catalog enthusiastically offers these pre-ban magazines on its website.
Since gunowners are licensed in only a few American states, revoking or suspending the license of a gunowner who was 'normal and law-abiding' at the time of purchase, but is later known to be dangerous or unstable, is practically impossible. Just like Mark Barton in Atlanta, Furrow was obviously a psychological risk. But, although a driver's license can be revoked for any number of reasons, there is no comparable procedure for ensuring that felons and other prohibited buyers do not retain firearms.
"More than 100 days have elapsed since the shooting at Columbine High School and Congress has done nothing to forestall future shootings. In fact, Congress is now on recess. How many more children must be killed or injured before Congress acts? Do we require a tragedy in each of the House's 435 districts before some progress is made? At the very least, Congress should pass the Senate's gun control package out of conference as soon as it returns. It should then turn its attention to what more needs to be done - including the licensing and registration of firearms - to forestall the shootings that will now come with depressing regularity."
For Immediate Release
8/11/99
STATEMENT OF SARAH BRADY RE:Los Angeles Shootings
"What can anyone say about children almost too young to walk escaping their daycare center, holding hands with armed police officers? In the last 16 months, we have also watched Columbine students, Jonesboro students, Springfield students and, for that matter, Atlanta day-traders running away from average, everyday places that became killing fields for madmen with guns.
"Here's what we can say. The suspect is once again a mentally deranged gunman, this time with ties to the most noxious, hate-filled, un-American groups in our society. As a convicted felon and someone who may have been adjudicated mentally ill by a court, it appears that Buford Furrow was a prohibited purchaser. He may not have been able to buy a new assault weapon in a licensed gun store, but…
He may have bought his weapon, which may be an older 'grandfathered' assault weapon, at a gun show or from any 'private dealer.' Washington State has no laws requiring background checks on private sales at gun shows or regulating secondary sales. Many gun shows sell white supremacist, Nazi and/or militia literature right alongside assault weapons with large ammunition magazines.
Although firearms manufactured since 1994 can legally hold no more than 10 bullets, and although it is illegal to hunt most animals with more than 10 bullets, a booming trade still exists in ammunition magazines which can hold up to 50 or 60 bullets. Many newer rifles, including the Bushmaster identified as Furrow's weapon, can hold older clips with enough ammunition to blow away a small army - or at least a daycare center. The Bushmaster catalog enthusiastically offers these pre-ban magazines on its website.
Since gunowners are licensed in only a few American states, revoking or suspending the license of a gunowner who was 'normal and law-abiding' at the time of purchase, but is later known to be dangerous or unstable, is practically impossible. Just like Mark Barton in Atlanta, Furrow was obviously a psychological risk. But, although a driver's license can be revoked for any number of reasons, there is no comparable procedure for ensuring that felons and other prohibited buyers do not retain firearms.
"More than 100 days have elapsed since the shooting at Columbine High School and Congress has done nothing to forestall future shootings. In fact, Congress is now on recess. How many more children must be killed or injured before Congress acts? Do we require a tragedy in each of the House's 435 districts before some progress is made? At the very least, Congress should pass the Senate's gun control package out of conference as soon as it returns. It should then turn its attention to what more needs to be done - including the licensing and registration of firearms - to forestall the shootings that will now come with depressing regularity."
