Police confirmed Tuesday how the gunman who went on a shooting spree in Texas on Saturday obtained the firearm he used to kill seven people and wound more than 20.
WFAA reports law enforcement sources say the shooter had failed a background check and then bought the AR-15-style rifle through a private sale. It is against the law to sell a firearm to someone who is unable to pass a background check, but the seller is not required to conduct one.
The dead suspect had a criminal history that included pleading guilty to criminal trespassing and evading arrest, both of which are misdemeanors in Texas. He did not receive jail time, but instead got two years of probation.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted on Monday that the gunman did not pass a background check, but did not provide specifics.
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 gunman had also called the police and the FBI before the attack because he was angry after being fired from his job. FBI agent Christopher Combs described the call as “rambling statements about some of the atrocities that he felt that he had gone through.”
The shooting began after he was pulled over by police during a traffic stop. The gunman then shot at the officer and drove away. During the hours-long ordeal, he killed a postal worker and stole her mail truck, shooting at random people and vehicles before being shot and killed by police.
