Texas Gov: Odessa Shooter Had Criminal History, Didn’t Go Through Background Check on Gun Used in Massacre
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that the Odessa shooter had a criminal history, failed a previous gun federal background check in his state, and had not gone through a background check on the gun used in Saturday’s massacre that killed seven people and left nearly two dozen wounded.
In a tweet posted to his official Twitter account, Abbott reported these details and added this warning: “We must keep guns out of criminals’ hands!”
Not only did the Odessa gunman have a criminal history…
…he also previously failed a gun purchase background check in Texas…
…& he didn’t go thru a background check for the gun he used in Odessa.
We must keep guns out of criminals’ hands. https://t.co/vgrqcHtBtF
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 2, 2019
The governor also linked to an Austin Statesman news article that reported the 36-year-old Odessa shooter had been arrested in August 2001 for evading arrest and criminal trespass. The man subsequently pleaded guilty to both charges, which are Class B misdemeanors.
Federal law requires all licensed firearms dealers to conduct a background check on every purchaser prior to any sale. However, Texas is not a “point-of-contact” state for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and it does not have a state law requiring private sellers to conduct a background check when transferring a firearm.
According to the Fox News report on the governor’s statement: “Agents for the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms and Explosives is now investigating how exactly the suspect got his hands on the AR-style rifle used that day.”
Watch the video above, via Fox News.
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