NY Bombing Suspect Passed Background Check for Gun Used to Shoot Police

New York bombing suspect Ahmad Rahami passed a background check to acquire the handgun he used to shoot two police officers as they closed in on him September 19.

The gun–a Glock 9mm–was acquired from a retailer in Salem, Virginia, in July.

According to The Washington Post, Rahami “was able to legally purchase the gun in Salem because he presented to the dealer a valid Virginia state ID with an address in Roanoke.” He also passed the “federal background check” required for the purchase.

This means Rahami joins a long list of attackers and alleged attackers who acquired their firearms “legally”–i.e., via background checks. That list includes:

• the Orlando attacker (June 12)
• the UCLA gunman (June 1)
• the San Bernardino attackers (December 2, 2015)
• the Colorado Springs attacker (October 31, 2015)
• the Umpqua Community College attacker (October 1, 2015)
• Alison Parker’s attacker (August 26, 2015)
• the Lafayette movie theater attacker (July 23, 2015)
• the Chattanooga attacker (July 16, 2015)
• the alleged Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal attacker (Jun 17, 2015)
• the Muhammad Carton Contest attackers (May 3, 2014)
• the Las Vegas cop killers (June 9, 2015)
• the Santa Barbara attacker (May 23, 2014)
• the Fort Hood attacker (April 2, 2014)
• the Arapahoe High School attacker (December 13, 2013)
• the D.C. Navy Yard attacker (September 16, 2013)
• the Aurora movie theater attacker (July 20, 2012)
• Gabby Giffords’ attacker (January 8, 2011)
• the Fort Hood attacker (November 5, 2009)
• the Virginia Tech attacker (April 16, 2007), and many others.

It is important to note that officials like President Barack Obama and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Joe Manchin (D-WV)–together with gun control groups like Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action–continuously push background checks as a way of keeping Americans safe.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.