BEREA, Ohio -- Gun enthusiasts at the Ohio Gun, Knife & Military Show browsed Saturday afternoon through a bazaar of assorted weapons and collectible firearms, many toting their newly purchased artillery as casually as if they were fresh veggies from the market. But if the Columbus-based advocacy group ProgressOhio has its druthers, those easy transactions will soon require a dive into the buyer's background -- a critical safeguarding measure that the activists say would help prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.
The group held a news conference outside the gun show on the fringe of the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, calling attention to a legal loophole that allows private vendors to sell guns without conducting background checks.
"We're not trying to take away the Second Amendment or say people shouldn't own guns," said Brian Rothenberg, the group's executive director. "We just want vendors voluntarily to do a background check when someone buys a gun. It takes a couple minutes. But what's a couple minutes if it saves a life?"
Federally licensed gun dealers are required to run criminal background checks on buyers. However, private unlicensed sellers, who operate at gun shows or flea markets with no established place of business, can sell firearms without the checks.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 30 percent of guns involved in federal illegal gun trafficking investigations are connected to gun shows.
A 2007 U.S. Department of Justice report revealed that about 5,000 guns used in crimes in 2006 were traced to gun sales in Ohio. And the state ranks among the top 10 sources of guns recovered from crimes.
About 150 gun shows are held every year in the state, Rothenberg said.
Read the Full Story at The Cleveland Plan Dealer
The group held a news conference outside the gun show on the fringe of the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, calling attention to a legal loophole that allows private vendors to sell guns without conducting background checks.
"We're not trying to take away the Second Amendment or say people shouldn't own guns," said Brian Rothenberg, the group's executive director. "We just want vendors voluntarily to do a background check when someone buys a gun. It takes a couple minutes. But what's a couple minutes if it saves a life?"
Federally licensed gun dealers are required to run criminal background checks on buyers. However, private unlicensed sellers, who operate at gun shows or flea markets with no established place of business, can sell firearms without the checks.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 30 percent of guns involved in federal illegal gun trafficking investigations are connected to gun shows.
A 2007 U.S. Department of Justice report revealed that about 5,000 guns used in crimes in 2006 were traced to gun sales in Ohio. And the state ranks among the top 10 sources of guns recovered from crimes.
About 150 gun shows are held every year in the state, Rothenberg said.
Read the Full Story at The Cleveland Plan Dealer
No comments:
Post a Comment