All American Blogger » Shooter in DC Museum Murder was a Convicted Felon, So How’d He Get a Gun?

Shooter in DC Museum Murder was a Convicted Felon, So How’d He Get a Gun?

Posted by Duane Lester on Jun 10th, 2009 • Clicks

Before we get into the story, we need to pay respect to Officer Stephen T. Johns, of Temple Hills, Mayland. He was 39 years old, a six year veteran of the museum and gave his life to stop a deranged machine of hate.

God bless you and keep you Officer Johns.

Now, to the nutcase who shot up the Holocaust Museum. His name was James W. von Brunn, and he was an elderly white supremacist.

von Brunn is a convicted felon:

In 1983, he was convicted of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board and was found carrying a revolver, knife and sawed-off shotgun. He served more than six years in prison for the offense.

For the record, in between the far left bloggers from blaming the Tea Party Movement and Fox News saying this proves the DHS report on vets going all domestic terrorist (the guy was a WWII vet, guys…come on!), it should be noted that it was illegal for this guy to have any guns at all. According to the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Superstore website, he has been banned from possessing a firearm:

(B5) Are there certain persons who cannot legally receive or possess firearms and/or ammunition? [Back]

Yes, a person who –

(1) Has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year;

(2) Is a fugitive from justice;

(3) Is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance;

(4) Has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution;

(5) Is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States or an alien admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa;

(6) Has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions;

(7) Having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his or her citizenship;

(8) Is subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of such intimate partner; or

(9) Has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence

(10) Cannot lawfully receive, possess, ship, or transport a firearm.

I’m sure in the following days, we will hear more from the left about the need to pass a gun ban of some sort, whether it’s the Clinton Era Gun ban repeat, or another style (now with more leftist!), the fact remains that this guy was already on the ban list.

And somehow, he found a gun and killed someone with it.

My point? Bad guys will always break the law. Gun bans don’t stop that, they only disarm the honest and lawful.

For really excellent coverage, as usual, check out Michelle Malkin’s post on the shooting.