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Ear to the Ground

Virginia Shooter Had No Difficulty Buying Guns

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Posted on Apr 18, 2007

As more details emerge from the massacre at Virginia Tech, it has become tragically clear that the least remarkable aspect of the crime was the purchase of the weapons that killed 33 people. An investigation has found that Cho Seung-Hui bought two pistols quickly, affordably and, for the most part, legally.

Washington Post:

On Feb. 9, Cho Seung Hui walked into a pawnshop on Main Street in Blacksburg, directly across the street from the Virginia Tech campus, and picked up one of the guns he would use in his deadly rampage Monday: a Walther .22-caliber pistol, a relatively inexpensive firearm most commonly used for target shooting or plinking cans.

One month later, on March 16, Cho stepped into Roanoke Firearms, a 3,000-square-foot, full-service gun dealer where more than 350 guns are on display. Cho offered his driver’s license, a checkbook that showed a matching address and an immigration card.

Once an instant background check confirmed his clean criminal record, Cho had little else to do, other than pay $571, to become the legal owner of a Glock 19 and a box of 50 cartridges.

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By michael, April 18, 2007 at 12:00 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

OK perplexed I am perplexed that you did not bother to check a couple of things.  First that state does have background checks but this nut had NEVER been charged for a crime.  also he was a legal resident of the united states.

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By eenymeeny, April 18, 2007 at 10:49 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

“A can of gasoline and a match would have done far worse.”

OK, well I’ll be watching the US news for the next headline “Gasoline madman kills 32 by setting fire to them.”

I won’t hold my breath though.

As the great comedian Eddie Izzard said:

“Sure, guns don’t kill people, people kill people. But I think the guns HELP.”

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By mite, April 18, 2007 at 10:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Virginia is one state that allow its citizens the 2nd Amendment Rights to some extent. Unlike my state (Illinois) Virginia, trust law abiding citizens that elect the law makers to have weapons and the right to a concealment permit.

So my question is: Why did the President- Charles Steger and other administration personal not allow people on campus to carry a weapon, let alone on campus property?

Who is liable for these murders?

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By truthseeker, April 18, 2007 at 9:10 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

What’s even more tragic is that no one on campus was permitted to carry (or have in their car) a gun that might have stopped the shooter.  Research has shown that more deaths of innocent people are PREVENTED by citizens who legally own and carry weapons than there are people who are killed by criminals and other sick individuals in areas where they’re NOT permitted.  For some reason the media (and the government) doesn’t think this is worth mentioning....

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By michael, April 18, 2007 at 8:52 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Excuse me For the most part leaglly ??????  Everthing you say in the article says it was legal.  Unless you have information to the contary dont try to inflame the situation.  I have come to expect fair and balanced reporting from you.  ( sorry to use fox’s phrase) dont dissapoint me and dont be like the conservatives and use something like this just to advance you postion on gun control

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By dp, April 18, 2007 at 8:49 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

This is what comes of a society that places a stigma on mental health problems and discourages seeking help for those problems.  But that same society also over emphasizes it’s need for individual firearms and the ease in getting them.

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By Ask The NSA, April 18, 2007 at 8:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Would people feel better if he had used a flamethrower?

Please don’t waste any more time on the dead-end gun control issue. How about addressing the root cause of why he would even consider doing such a thing? Why has our society degraded to such a point? Why do we celebrate violence, anger, aggression?

We don’t need another Brady bill that will accomplish absolutely nothing. We need a long hard look at ourselves asking ‘what the fuck is wrong with us?’

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By Perplexed, April 18, 2007 at 8:06 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

If the State of Virginia had at least one law on the books regarding background checks this may not have happened. Now that the background on this shooter comes to light and we see a not only a person who was stalking women, deemed suicidal by his own family. and also one even his professors deemed as psychotic. Then to find out he wasn’t even an American citizen and still could purchase firearms legally was equally disturbing. Way to go State of Virginia!

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By Outraged, April 18, 2007 at 7:38 am #

I agree with the first comment.  We seem to have this unrealistic notion of guns.  Yes, they are dangerous that’s why you learn how to use one BEFORE owning one.  I have a whole drawerful of knives in my kitchen.  Does that make me dangerous!?  I have a tankful of gasoline in my car and a 5gal can full in the garage.  Does that make me a threat?

What happened at Virginia Tech is horrific, but you can not blame guns anymore than you can blame cars for driving wildly, alcohol for cirrosis of the liver, or your nose for getting a cold.

The real issue here is: WHAT LED TO THIS ACTION?  Why would someone resort to this type of senselessness?  What did he hope to gain? What portion of this could we have stopped?  Could we have stopped it at all...?

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By GW=MCHammered, April 18, 2007 at 7:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

The mental health care system needs rebuilding. By design someone must commit a crime before you can get a sufferer any real help. A police officer told me, “It’s legal to walk the streets completely insane… until you commit a crime.” When I asked if my ailed friend would get the help they need in prison, every police officer said, “No.”

Absolutely Disgusting and Shameful, America.

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By Harry, April 18, 2007 at 7:29 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

mr 127001
The truth hurts doesn’t it?
It is easy to purchase handguns in Virginia.

People will get shot.

Until we realize the purpose of handguns- shooting people..
you don’t hunt with a handgun by the way.

T

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By Tom Doff, April 18, 2007 at 7:00 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Perhaps we should consider it fortunate he didn’t purchase fertilizer and fuel oil, in which case Virginia Tech might have disappeared.

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By KISS, April 18, 2007 at 6:39 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

All one has to do is read the killings in Iraq everyday to see what Cho could have done with an IED or pipe bombs.
Maybe the school should have paid more attention to his English Prof. Sickness can affect many and there will never be a way to determine who is or will be a menace to society.
A person bent on killing is never going to be stopped, the legality of his having guns is not for debate.

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By 127001, April 18, 2007 at 5:36 am #

So, who put this on Truthdig. A disappointment.

A can of gasoline and a match would have done far worse.

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