Reply #18: You did not answer the question [View All]

[Withergyld]

Does the article state where the shooter got the firearm?

The Bureau of Justic Statistics reported the following:

"According to the 1997 Survey of State Prison Inmates, among those possessing a gun, the source of the gun was from -

a flea market or gun show for fewer than 2%
a retail store or pawnshop for about 12%
family, friends, a street buy, or an illegal source for 80%"

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/guns.htm

I really think our time could be better spent trying to prevent criminals from getting firearms from the third source (family, friends, a street buy, or an illegal source) listed then the first source (a flea market or gun show) which is less than 2%.

IMO closing the "gunshow loophole" would do little to prevent "lunatics and criminals" from getting firearms.