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Updated: 10:29 AM Nov 19, 2009
Virginia Tech Survivor Films Gun Show Loophole Campaign
Blacksburg, Va. A survivor of the Virginia Tech shootings is part of a campaign to close what's known as the gun show loophole.
Posted: 6:24 PM Nov 18, 2009Reporter: Philip Townsend Email Address: ptownsend@whsv.com |
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Colin Goddard is a survivor of the Virginia Tech shootings.
He traveled the country during the summer to states that allow private gun dealers to sell without background checks.
Goddard used a hidden camera to film visits to gun shows where some private dealers sold him a gun without asking for identification.
Goddard says, "It is time, actually way past time, for America to close the loophole that allows people who can't legally buy a gun from a gun dealer to literally buy one in the back corner of the same convention center."
In Harrisonburg, Homestead Gunsmith owner Jon Ritenour is just getting word of Goddard's campaign.
Ritenour says, "To put it bluntly, that's idiotic on the part of the seller."
Ritenour is a longtime gun rights supporter and has favored legislation for private sellers to sell as they please.
He says, "Guns are personal property. Therefore individuals have a concerned right to sell their private property however they want to."
Ritenour says what Goddard caught on tape is not something he can support.
He adds, "Anybody that would sell a firearm to someone that they don't know without requiring identification just to pass it over for the money is a profiteer."
All of the guns Goddard purchased during his travels were turned into local police stations in Texas, Ohio, Minnesota and Virginia.
Latest Comments
WHSV, there is no "private dealer" You are either a Federal Firearms License holder engages in the business of selling firearms or you are not. Just like DMV has regulations on how many automobiles one can sell in a year before they are considered a dealer, the ATF does too. Johnny Redneck selling a highly modified single shot turkey match gun is not a engaging in the business of selling firearms. As journalists, you are doing a disservice to the community by using media buzzwords and not checking out 100% of the facts before going to bat with the story. Contact the Virginia Citizens Defense League if you have any questions about private sales at gun shows. They are far more educated than "the man on the street"
My question is why wasn't he arrested? He knew he wasn't allowed to buy those guns. I think he should be brought in and charged. To bad it will never happen.
Interesting that the Tech killer obtained his gun legally and almost no guns connected with crimes are purchased in the manner documented by the survivor of the Tech shootings.
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