Feds Go On Gun Confiscation Spree
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 11 months ago
Federal authorities sought to take back guns from thousands of people the background check system should have blocked from buying weapons because they had criminal records, mental health issues or other problems that would disqualify them.
A USA TODAY review found that the FBI issued more than 4,000 requests last year for agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives to retrieve guns from prohibited buyers.
It’s the largest number of such retrieval requests in 10 years, according to FBI records – an especially striking statistic after revelations that a breakdown in the background check system allowed a troubled Air Force veteran to buy a rifle later used to kill 26 worshipers at a Texas church last month.
The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) vets millions of gun purchase transactions every year. But the thousands of gun seizure requests highlight persistent problems in a system where analysts must complete background checks within three days of the proposed purchase. If the background check is not complete within the 72-hour time limit, federal law allows the sale to go forward. ATF agents are asked to take back the guns if the FBI later finds these sales should have been denied.
In addition to the public safety risks, the ATF agents tasked with retrievingthe banned weapons from unauthorized gun owners across the country are exposed to potentially dangerous confrontations.
“These are people who shouldn’t have weapons in the first place, and it just takes one to do something that could have tragic consequences,” said David Chipman, a former ATF official who helped oversee the firearm retrieval program. “You don’t want ATF to stand for ‘after the fact.'”
No, I don’t. I’d rather the ATF didn’t exist at all since they are an unconstitutional entity based on unconstitutional laws and regulations.
There. Fixed it.
On December 5, 2017 at 9:41 am, Michael said:
“…The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
Per the above, ANY federal law regarding the ownership of, carrying, possession, etc. of firearms is unconstitutional. There isn’t a single federal law regarding the above (NFA, GCA, Brady law, etc.) that is remotely Constitutional.
And the ATF? Shut ’em down!
On December 5, 2017 at 9:52 am, Fred said:
“In addition to the public safety risks, the ATF agents tasked with retrievingthe banned weapons from unauthorized gun owners across the country are exposed to potentially dangerous confrontations.”
Language matters. Never forget, slave, that weapons can be ‘banned’ and that ownership is ‘authorized’.