Giffords Once Again Calls for Universal Background Checks After News that St. Louis Shooter Purchased Weapon in Unlicensed Sale

Washington DC — Today, Giffords, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, put out a statement reiterating its call for universal background checks after news that the St. Louis shooter who killed a student and a teacher earlier this week purchased his gun through an unlicensed sale after failing a background check at a gun dealer. 

Peter Ambler, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Giffords:

“It’s true that stronger gun safety laws won’t prevent every act of gun violence—but they would have prevented this one, among many others. An individual should not be able to purchase a gun after failing a background check. Because the St. Louis shooter managed to do so, two innocent people were murdered, seven more were wounded, and a high school and community were traumatized. We must close dangerous loopholes in our state and federal background check laws that enabled this to happen, and pass extreme risk protection order laws that allow for the temporary removal of guns to those who pose a risk to themselves or others. These actions won’t save the lives that were tragically lost this week, but we owe it to their memories and to those who survived this horrible attack to do something to prevent future tragedies.”

Universal background checks are essential to close deadly loopholes in our laws that allow millions of guns to end up in the hands of individuals at an elevated risk of committing violence each year. Though more than 90% of the American public supports background checks for all gun sales, a dangerous and deadly loophole in federal gun laws still exempts unlicensed sellers from having to perform any background check whatsoever before selling a firearm. With this loophole, guns easily find their way into the hands of illegal buyers and gun traffickers, dramatically increasing the likelihood of gun homicides and suicides. When Missouri repealed its permit-to-purchase handgun law in 2007, the state’s murder rate increased 16% through 2012. 

Resources:

• Universal background checks policy page
• Extreme risk protection orders policy page
• Report: How COVID-19, Racial Inequity, and the Capitol Insurrection Make the Case for Universal Background Checks

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