At least five people are dead after a shooting at a local manufacturing facility in Aurora, Illinois.
Five police officers and multiple civilians were injured in the shooting, local news outlets and city officials said. The gunman was killed during the incident....
A woman who identified herself as [murderer]'s mother said he was fired from the company two weeks ago and was "way too stressed out," according to The Chicago Sun-Times.Any guesses as to why he was fired or his mental health status? This may take a few days to come out.
2/15/19 ABC channel 7:
John Probst, a Henry Pratt employee who escaped the building, said he saw a man holding a pistol with a laser sight. He said he recognized the shooter as a coworker.He was using a laser designator so I expect those on the "must be banned" list next. Followed by anything that can mount a classroom laser pointer to a firearm next. The good news from the 2/15/19 Chicago Sun-Times:
Court records show that [murderer] was convicted of stabbing a woman in Mississippi in 1994.So he could not have lawfully bought or possessed a firearm after 1994, and Illinois has a mandatory background check to have a Firearms Owner ID card, which is mandatory for possession or transfer.
UPDATE: The good news is that he obtained a Firearms Owner ID card and purchased the handgun legally in Illinois, which has a very strict gun control law. 2/16/19 CNN:
Martin was convicted in 1995 in Mississippi of felony aggravated assault.
• In January 2014, Martin, then living in Aurora, was issued a firearm owner's identification card, or FOID card.
• On March 6, 2014, he applied to buy a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun from a gun dealer in Aurora.
• Five days later, he took possession of the gun, having passed a background check and a five-day waiting period.
• On March 16, 2014, he applied for a concealed-carry permit. During a background check process for this permit, his fingerprints flagged him for the 1995 conviction in Mississippi.• After his felony conviction was discovered, his application for the concealed-carry permit was rejected and Illinois State Police revoked his FOID card.
State police sent him a letter telling him to voluntarily relinquish the weapon to police, Ziman said.
She said she doesn't know why Martin ended up keeping the gun and whether law enforcement followed up with him.
There is no value to gun control laws if the police do not enforce them.
A few other facts that can be gleaned.
ReplyDelete1) It was probably a semi-auto pistol given it had a laser mount.
2) the shooter was in his forties. He didn't stab the woman in 1994 in his teens or he would have been charged as a minor and then have the event removed from his record at 18. The fact his mother is still alive prevents him from being in his fifties or older.
Another foul up on the background check process: https://www.apnews.com/5f4aa698a6044002bfc4f39cc23fc4a3
ReplyDeleteAccording to the story linked above he got his ID card and then went for a CCW and was denied then.
The HR meeting where he was terminated was the scene of the initial shooting. Three HR employees were killed along with the plant manger.
ReplyDeleteHis felony conviction was found when he applied for a CCW permit. It should have been found with his FOID application.
Without checking, I'm going to guess that this took place in a designated "Gun Free Zone." They almost always do, don't they?
ReplyDeleteOK, now I've read all those sources, but none of them say whether it was or wasn't a gun-free zone. The Sun-Times article says the shooter used a Smith & Wesson pistol "with a laser scope," so the reporter is the usual know-nothing when it comes to guns.
What a tragedy for all the victims and their families. I wonder if we'll ever find out where & how he got that pistol, which he wasn't supposed to have?
Now it is also being reported after he failed a CCW check he was sent a letter to return the gun! Yet another crazy screwup.
ReplyDeleteClayton,
ReplyDeleteI think that it is long past time to continue to attach sentimental notions to those who press for gun control. Even though there are plenty of useful idiots who join the bandwagon, the core element are statists who are uninterested in crime suppression.
They do not care on whit about murder victims; the victims are useful statistics for their goal of banning and confiscating.
They are not against guns; they actually are very much in favor of them, but only in their possession, not yours.
The leaders know better; the politicians are just whoring for votes; many of the followers are ignorant sheep. It sounds good; isn't that enough?
ReplyDelete