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Background checks blocked a record high 300,000 gun sales
Source: Associated Press
Background checks blocked a record high 300,000 gun sales
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST
June 22, 2021
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The number of people stopped from buying guns through the U.S. background check system hit an all-time high of more than 300,000 last year amid a surge of firearm sales, according to new records obtained by the group Everytown for Gun Safety.
The FBI numbers provided to The Associated Press show the background checks blocked nearly twice as many gun sales in 2020 as in the year before. About 42% of those denials were because the would-be buyers had felony convictions on their records.
The increase in blocked gun sales largely tracks with the record-setting surge in sales that took hold along with the coronavirus pandemic and has continued into this year, through historic demonstrations against police brutality, deep political divisions and an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
It comes as Congress has failed to pass major legislation on guns despite the Democratic majority and President Joe Biden’s push. A bill that would strengthen background checks is stalled in the Senate. The House in March passed the legislation requiring the checks on all sales and transfers, as well as an expanded 10-day review for gun purchases. Most states require background checks only for sales at federally licensed dealers. But the legislation faces an uphill battle getting any Republican support in the Senate.
-snip-
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST
June 22, 2021
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The number of people stopped from buying guns through the U.S. background check system hit an all-time high of more than 300,000 last year amid a surge of firearm sales, according to new records obtained by the group Everytown for Gun Safety.
The FBI numbers provided to The Associated Press show the background checks blocked nearly twice as many gun sales in 2020 as in the year before. About 42% of those denials were because the would-be buyers had felony convictions on their records.
The increase in blocked gun sales largely tracks with the record-setting surge in sales that took hold along with the coronavirus pandemic and has continued into this year, through historic demonstrations against police brutality, deep political divisions and an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
It comes as Congress has failed to pass major legislation on guns despite the Democratic majority and President Joe Biden’s push. A bill that would strengthen background checks is stalled in the Senate. The House in March passed the legislation requiring the checks on all sales and transfers, as well as an expanded 10-day review for gun purchases. Most states require background checks only for sales at federally licensed dealers. But the legislation faces an uphill battle getting any Republican support in the Senate.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/gun-background-checks-blocked-record-high-sales-e0c3105b6632740b8f15858cd930441a
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Background checks blocked a record high 300,000 gun sales (Original Post)
Eugene
Jun 2021
OP
mountain grammy
(27,536 posts)1. This is terrifying because it is probably
just a fraction of gun sales. American is armed and dangerous
bahboo
(16,953 posts)8. absolutely....
glad I live in California....parts of the US (Texas), just becoming scary....
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)2. Certainly a wake up call!
Blues Heron
(6,431 posts)3. lets just crank that up tougher and tougher until 90 percent are blocked
now that we have the mechanism
Aristus
(69,144 posts)4. My idea of a background check:
"You want a gun?"
"Yes."
"What the fuck is the matter with you? Get out!"
PSPS
(14,316 posts)5. Take it from Homer
Justsumguy
(14 posts)6. According to the article
42% were denied because the applicant had a felony conviction. Goes on to say that in the past, .01% of this type of denial is prosecuted. Seems a tad low for a convicted felon committing yet another felony (lying on the form).
SheltieLover
(62,709 posts)7. Need to prosecute to the fullest!
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LiberatedUSA
(1,666 posts)9. How many of those were purchases by those...
...that already have a lot of guns, as opposed to new buyers? A gunner buying his or her 50th gun doesn’t count in my eyes. However, a bunch of people buying guns for the first time is a problem the hospitals will be forced to deal with.