FBI drops the ball, NY Times calls it a loophole.

[Steve-in-NY]

[Accused Charleston shooter] had been arrested for possession of narcotics in February, a felony charge that should have surfaced on criminal databases and prevented him from buying a weapon at a gun store.

Basically we aren't even effectively enforcing the gun laws we have, but we want more gun laws? That makes sense.

After every shooting there are calls for more gun control but none of the proposed laws would have an effect on the shootings - except in this case, there was a law that would have had an effect... but we apparently can't even enforce the current ones.

That being said:

Washington Post:

"the data was not properly entered in federal criminal justice computer systems, or had been mishandled by an analyst with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-accused-charleston-shooter-should-not-have-been-able-to-buy-gun/2015/07/10/0d09fda0-271f-11e5-b72c-2b7d516e1e0e_story.html


NY Times:

"A loophole in the check system allowed the man, Dylann Roof, to buy the .45-caliber handgun despite his having previously admitted to drug possession"
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/11/us/background-check-flaw-let-dylann-roof-buy-gun-fbi-says.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

[kcchiefs6465]

The loophole they are probably talking about is the three day period after which a firearm can be sold to someone who comes back delayed. When they conduct the NICS background check, there are three possible outcomes. A, "Proceed," a, "Delayed," and a, "Denied." Businesses are able to sell the firearm to someone who comes back "delayed" if after three business days they do not hear back from the BATF. Many "delays" never become a "proceed" or a "denied" (in fact, I used to sell firearms and I still come back delayed) They were whining a few months back that they were understaffed and unable to keep up with the NICS requests. Basically if you are delayed, you might as well be a proceed. Many people are just realizing this.

That said, he was arrested for drug possession. No one should be denied because of possession charges. Also, even if he were denied, he could have just as easily (more easily, in fact) bought a gun from a private seller or gone to a gun show. Or made his own gun. Or whatever.

They will try to use this as an excuse to turn "delayed" into "denied" when I know that most delays are simply the result of government incompetence... not to mention that absent someone putting the dog down when he raised up, this tragedy was rather unpreventable. He could have driven a car through the building and caused possibly as much mayhem. You won't hear them advocating the banning of automobiles or other inherently dangerous items.