Wednesday June 7 10:02 PM ET
Chicago Sues for Gun Sale Info
CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago sued a federal law enforcement agency on Wednesday seeking
confidential data concerning gun buyers nationwide in an effort to bolster its $433 million lawsuit
against the firearms industry.
The city is seeking a nationwide list of those who have bought
more than one gun in a five-day period. That list is kept on a
databank maintained by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms.
City officials claim that manufacturers deliberately market guns to
criminals, and they want the ATF's list to track major gun dealers - who possibly supply street
gangs - by purchasing patterns.
ATF spokesman Tom Ahern said that handing over the list would violate the privacy rights of
law-abiding gun purchasers and that personal information on the list could jeopardize investigations
and the safety of undercover ATF agents.
The city filed suit in 1998 against 23 gun manufacturers and 13 suburban gun dealers to recoup
losses incurred by gun violence.
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Chicago Sues for Gun Sale Info
CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago sued a federal law enforcement agency on Wednesday seeking
confidential data concerning gun buyers nationwide in an effort to bolster its $433 million lawsuit
against the firearms industry.
The city is seeking a nationwide list of those who have bought
more than one gun in a five-day period. That list is kept on a
databank maintained by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms.
City officials claim that manufacturers deliberately market guns to
criminals, and they want the ATF's list to track major gun dealers - who possibly supply street
gangs - by purchasing patterns.
ATF spokesman Tom Ahern said that handing over the list would violate the privacy rights of
law-abiding gun purchasers and that personal information on the list could jeopardize investigations
and the safety of undercover ATF agents.
The city filed suit in 1998 against 23 gun manufacturers and 13 suburban gun dealers to recoup
losses incurred by gun violence.
E-mail this story - (View most popular) | Printer-friendly format
