Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers on hidden camera
Colin Goddard suffered four gunshot wounds when a fellow Virginia Tech student who was mentally ill opened fire at the Blacksburg campus in 2007, killing 32 people and wounding many others before turning the gun on himself.
Determined to ensure something like that could never happen again, the 24-year-old Goddard began visiting gun shows this past summer -- and he took along a hidden camera to record just how easy it was for anyone to purchase a firearm.
His goal? To get Congress to take action so people can't buy weapons at gun shows without a background check.
"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," says Goddard, who turned the guns he purchased over to local police.
The federal Brady Law requires criminal background checks of people who buy guns from federally licensed dealers, but unlicensed private sellers are not required to conduct background checks. That loophole is a special problem at gun shows, where in most states anyone including convicted felons, domestic violence abusers and people with dangerous mental illnesses can buy weapons from unlicensed dealers, no questions asked.
Gun shows also supply firearms for criminals. A 2000 report [pdf] from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms found that shows are the second-leading source of illegally diverted guns in the United States, trailing only corrupt federally licensed dealers. Gun shows have also been identified as an important source of weapons for drug cartels operating in the Houston area, for gangs in New Orleans, and for criminals in Richmond, Va., according to a 2007 Justice Department report [pdf].
To date, only seven out of 50 states have completely closed the gun show loophole -- and none of them are in the South. Ten other states have taken limited steps, including North Carolina, which requires individuals seeking to purchase a handgun to get a permit that involves a background check, and certain counties in Florida that require background checks on all private sales of handguns at gun shows. But 33 states do not have any restrictions in place.
Bills have been introduced in the U.S. House (H.R. 2324) and Senate (S. 843) to close the gun show loophole. That legislation is supported by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, where Goddard now works.
Of the 49 current co-sponsors of the House bill, only three are from the South -- two from Virginia (Gerry Connolly and James Moran) and one from Texas (Sheila Jackson-Lee). Of the 15 current co-sponsors in the Senate, none represent Southern states.
To get Americans interested in the initiative, the Brady Campaign has put together a short video with highlights of Goddard's hidden-camera footage, which includes footage from Texas, Virginia, Minnesota and Ohio. The image above is a still from the video.
"I want to see an America that wants background checks on every gun sale," Goddard says. "There's no background check, there's no gun, there's no excuses."
Watch the video with the undercover footage here:
- Email this story
Categories:
Comments
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
This young man is to be commended for being able to go through with this charade, despite his dramatic past experience. Thanks to him and to the Brady backers for their efforts. It was downright painful to watch this video and realize that these sellers have no conscience. Yes! They should be blamed, but so too should Congress for not changing this reprehensible behavior!
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
Trafficking in firearms has nothing to do with any Consitutional rights. It is all about making money--and a lot of it. Note the stress placed on making the sale untraceable: no documents, no paperwork, payment in cash. Responsible, law-abiding citizens would not fear registering their weapons and accounting for transfers of those weapons to other parties.
As an aside, dealing in cash enables an unlicensed gun "dealer" to evade taxes on the sales.
The growing market of gangs dealing in narco-traficking is becoming the largest money-maker for gun "dealers."
Safety and the value of human life are matters of indifference.
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
Colin goddard is nothing but a puppet of the goverment and a like-minded idiot, there is no gun show loophole, Private dealers do have a right to sell guns without a background check...This is just another scare tatics caused by the hypocrites at the brady group.
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1. We need to check there Past Sales Records of 4473 for Long Guns ,Rifles ,Shootguns to in all of each Purchuse lagalley Or Straw Gun Purchused too! 2. We need to checke There Past Present, Legalley! Or Straw Pucchused be made too! Conceal Weapons: SimiPistals, Revolvers too! There are lots of bad Shaddey Gun Dealers not so onest Retailers Gun Dealers; most of them are smallers Busineses too! True!!! Solutionis: GO Imeadly before it gets out of controll Breaking Federal Laws & State Laws too! Revoked there 01 F.F.L.s & State Licences too! Blocked There Renuals F.F.L.s Applications as well to a hualt too! You are history too! DONE!~! The Frderal Agents must do a the Right way to Catch the bads shaddey crooked Gun Dealers are fomer Gangs Mwmbers as well too! true!!!! There is alot of them not inspected to, by Federal Agents too! True! Dated is Facts is true too!!!------ ----- --- -- 10/07/2007 A.D. Too! There is total count of 50,630 01 & State Licences is issued to by Federal & State Laws to:, Store Fronts & lots Busineses in commercial Industrial Locations Block Zones too!! Wehere is 100% legal be Zoning Commision Laws of Building Codes too! The ooveral Count in the U.S. A. ( is 51,600 total F.F.L.s 01s.
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1.There is to many 01 Retailer Smaller F.F.L.s 01's & State Licences today too! There is about 30,000 01 Licemces Retailer Busineses in 50 States by December,30,2010 A.D. too! We lost About 19,910- Vender Gun Dealers of GunShows only do Busineses on Saturday, Sunday at a 8hr for 2 days too! Set up day is Friday only is closed to the Public too!!! It Illegal Retailers Gun Busineses Retailer Dealers to Like to Break zoning Laws Of Building Codes,an Properity codes of zoning Regulations Still Stand today most current Laws on the Zoning Regullations Laws Still Stand today World of Laws too! Iagreed Regulations say Residential & Comunity Retailer Gun Dealers of 01, is a Class-01 too! And a N.F.A. Lawenforcement Dealer of Class-03 is a, 09 Licence of a Black tax Stamp at the Conner at right Hand Side too! True!!! The Zoning Commision Does not allow it not to be there too! is Illegal Busineses Location too! I agreed Not Legal to do it too! It"s Wrong Direction to take too! You are breaking the Zoning Regulatioins Of Busineses & Properity Zones Regulations too! I agreed!!! You, Can"t Get a F.F.L.s Licences & State Licences From the Sheriffis Dept of the County an State you live in too! Not Allow in Homes, Townhouses, Apartments Homes, Comdominum Homes too! The Gun Busineses not allow there at all is: illegal to have such a Illegal Retailer Gun Busineses of 01,09,N.F.A. Import & Enport Licences Busineses of 08,011 is N.F.A. too! Munifacture Busineses is Ammo Mfg 06, & Gun Mfg 07 & N.F.A Gun Mfg of 010 is N.F.A. Munifacture Busineses Licences too! Not allowed there in Residentail &Comunity Zones is off limmits areas too. By Zoning Regulations still Stands today laws in 2010 A.D Or Beyond to into Future!!! Laws are There Not to Hurt us. But to Protect us allways there to help us too! I agreed!!! The A.T.F Should Cut of all F.F.L.s Licences to Busineses Located in Residential &Comunity zones Busineses are the oppsite of Commercial Block Zones Are Industrail ZAones too! Cut of F.F.L.s & State Licences are Cut off by the County Sheriffis Dept. of the State he or She lives in too! I agreed!!! Law is Law of Regulations Law en order too! Agreed!!! Thank,you
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1. some States in the West & Midwest Gun Laws are esaier to and Longgun Rifles,Shotguns,too! Most of the Western States, Midwestern States do Restricted Handgun Purchuses only to States Residents, are Family Personal Properity too. It a Right,to have to by the Constitution,of Bill of Rights too! of thosed States to buy it easier then New York,New Jersey, Illionis. Westconson, too! They are different Laws by each States too! True! The Non Citizen Better leave it alone or Warning is world Will be in Shority into World War 111 Will Begin Immeadly With out Warning to the Foreign Counties Tried to Tamperated with With U.S.A.Constitution of the Bill of Rights By Geroga Washington our First Preident of July 4,1776 too! American is borned to as Free Nation too! Agreed ! Thank,you.
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1. There is to many 01 Gun Dealers in State of Viginina State too! There is 1353 (01) Regular Gun Dealers,Licences by the A.T.F.E.A. Divsion is a Federal Agence only too! Agreed!!! Let"s Cut off 1000 (01) & State Licence 1 Licence is issued only by: the Sheriffis Dept.is a County Agency of Lawenforcement too!! of counties with in the State you live in too! Agreed! Smaller Gun Dealers of Smaller Busineses too! Solution is: It Leaves total of:353 01 Regular Gun Busineses Alone too! The Number of Gun Robbies will decline by Street Gangs Groups of different Nationalities of Races non citizens Living in the 50 States too! Solution is: Let"s Cut it down to 353 01 Retailers Busineses only tempary only! Then Cut it way down to (200) (01)-Maxium Cap no# Limit to F.F.L.s, too!! Agreed!! And & State Licences only 1 Licence issued to sell all Firearms too;at State Licences Level to only by 50 States too! Agreed!!! is a Cap Number Limit too! No Extras Licences Added Applications too! Agreed Reasonis: This will Cut down Street Gun Robbies of smaller Gun Stores Smaller Busineses too! There will be:less Guns on the Streets too! It a good Direction to deture Street Crime & Take bite out of Crime on Cities,Townships, towns, in 50 SAtates too! Agreed! Thankyou,
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1. The U.S.A, Limit of 01 Gun Dealers cap limit, F.F.L.s of,(10,000) (01) Licences & (State Licences) too! No extras Applications not be issued too! By A.T.F. too! The 50 States in the U.S.A. is a limit to: a cap limit is,F.F.L.s (200) (01) Licences & (State Licences,)by the Sheriffis Dept. of counties in the State you live in too! Enforced a cap number Limit to by all 50 States too! Reason is: This will Cut down Street Crime in Cities, Townships, towns in all the 50 States too! It will stop guns Thiefts by Criminals , & foreign noncitizens Criminals of other nations too! Are Living in the U.S.A. too! Agreed!
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1. for the Feds say The Renual for (01) Licence Gun Dealers Licences & be Fingerprited Every time they Applyed for a renuals is: the Fee $$$ 2500.00 Every There yrs Renuals too! agreed! 1.a The State Groverments of 50 States Level of Renual of a State Licence Is only one Licence to Sell All Firearms Fee $$ is 1250.00 3yrs Renuals too! Be Fingerprinted again every time they Applyed for New State Licence to Sell all Firearms at State Licence Levels of State Groverments of 50 States too! agreed!!! Thankyou,
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1. The Number of Bad & Roge Gun Dealers is 7000 to 8500 bad Regular Gun Dealers Retailers Busineses too! Solution is: The A.T.F should Canceal there Renuals Applications Regular 01 Licences & State Licences Renuals are Cannceled out for good! By the A.T.F. By The Country .
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1. The U.S.A.will Regulated certain Number for a Cap No#1 Limit should be (5000)(01); Retailer Busineses Gun Dealers Regulars only too! Agreed!!! No extras not be added too! agreed!!! 2. The State Groverments: No#2 All 50 States will be Regulated to certain Number of; (100)(01)is the Maxium Cap Number Limit will be enforced immeadly very soon too!No extras will not be added too! This should be porcerses now before is to late: to Controlled the Number of (01)Licences going out to Fast to;With a Back round Criminal Federal Check too! After The State Licences is issued by all Fifty States to by all the Counties of each of the Fifty States in the U.S.A. Should do a back round Criminal Check too! Before they issued a State Licences For Retailer Gun Dealers Sales, Import& Export,Mfg Businese of Making Firearms too! i agreed!!! The Licence is issued by the Country Sheriffis Dept of Licening only too! Or some States os Issued by the State Police Or the Highway Patrolled State Police of Office State Licence Dept. too! agreed! some States do it too! True!!!
re: Virginia Tech massacre survivor captures shady gun dealers o
1, Any Gun Retailer Dealers of (01) F.F.Ls Licences & State Licences On GunShows Vender Gun Dealers are Blue callor workers in week day jobs to true!!Any Gun Dealers F.F.L.s is (01) & (09) Title-1 N.F.A. Rules applyed is a Class-03 is too! Tried to Sell it too! to Any Persons how failed the Backround Checked to buy{ an HandGun is Not a State Resident to is Breaking Federal Law& State Laws by 50 States to agreed!! Is illeglly selling Long guns Or HandGuns With out a Instant Back round Check is illegal to sell to a person to how Failed the Backround Check by the State Police of all Fiffy States too! He or She will loosed his or Licence is a Regular Dealers Busineses Licence is Class-01 is (01) & State Licence as well too! is Renuals are canncelled fo life too! The goes for Combanation Gun Dealers of Busineses too!! The Combanation Dealers Licences is Regular Class-01 is (01)F.F.L.s too! An the Regular Title-1 N.F.A. Class-03 is (09) F.F.L,S is a Black Tax stamp at right hand conner too true!! He or She never get another Class- 01 Lience is (01)Or a Class-03 is(09) F.F.L.s Licence Never again is no more too! He or She is history too! I do agreed!!Shady Bad Roge Gun Dealers Should be punished immeadly as soon as possable to by the Inspectors Agents of A.T.F. too! How vcatch them in the illegal of a Firearm without a instant Check by the State Police of 50 States too! Agreed! Or by The F.B.I. Or The A,T,F, too!!!! Cut off there Renuals Applictions out by cansel them too!! Thank you,
Share this article
