All articles tagged with #ar 15
Authorities in Atlanta prevented a potential mass shooting at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport after a man with an AR-15 was identified and arrested, with his family alerting police about his plans and social media livestreaming his intentions.
A man was arrested inside Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport after his family alerted police that he was armed and headed to the airport to potentially commit violence. Authorities found an AR-15 rifle in his vehicle, and he faces multiple charges. The incident was averted thanks to family and police intervention, highlighting ongoing security concerns at the world's busiest airport amid staffing shortages due to the government shutdown.
An assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump with an AR-15-style rifle has reignited the debate on gun control, highlighting the GOP's reluctance to address the issue despite historical precedents like the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban and the Brady Bill. While Democrats and gun safety advocates push for stricter regulations, Republicans remain largely silent or blame Democrats for inciting violence, underscoring the deep polarization and the challenges in passing new gun legislation.
Families of Uvalde shooting victims have filed a lawsuit against Daniel Defense, Activision, and Meta, alleging these companies promoted the AR-15 used in the shooting through aggressive marketing in video games and social media. The suit claims the shooter was influenced by "Call of Duty" and Instagram posts about weapons. The lawsuit marks two years since the tragic event and follows a recent $2 million settlement with the city of Uvalde.
The shooter who killed two Central New York police officers used parts to build his own illegal AR-15 assault weapon, avoiding the need for permits and background checks. The gun had a protruding pistol grip and a 40-round magazine, making it illegal in New York state. The shooter, Christopher R. Murphy, purchased a lower barrel receiver legally in 2019 and added more parts to the gun. Another AR-15 rifle was found in his home, and deputies are investigating its legality. This incident highlights the issue of modifying guns to circumvent regulations, as seen in a previous shooting in Buffalo.
A 26-year-old man, Andre Gordon, is accused of killing three people, including his 13-year-old sister, in Pennsylvania using an AR-15 style assault rifle before carjacking a vehicle and fleeing to New Jersey, where he was eventually arrested. The victims included his stepmother, sister, and the mother of two of his children. Gordon faces multiple charges in New Jersey and is expected to be extradited to Pennsylvania to face murder charges. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities searching for the weapon used in the shootings and the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police assisting in the case.
A series of connected shootings in a Philadelphia-area suburb prompted a shelter-in-place order as police hunted for the gunman, identified as 26-year-old Andre Gordon. The suspect, who knew the victims, carjacked a stranger and barricaded himself in a home in Trenton, New Jersey, taking hostages. The shelter-in-place order was lifted after police cornered the suspect. The incident fell just short of the colloquial definition of a mass shooting, and there have been calls for a ban on assault-style rifles like the one believed to be in the suspect's possession.
Genesse Ivonne Moreno, the woman who fired a rifle inside Houston's Lakewood Church, had a history of mental illness, a string of arrests, and family who sought help to prevent her from accessing weapons. She wounded one man before being shot and killed by law enforcement, and her 7-year-old son, who was with her, was also shot and in critical condition. Authorities are investigating whether mental health issues or a recent argument with her ex-husband's family played a role in the shooting. Moreno had a documented mental health history and had been placed under an emergency detention order in 2016. Her former mother-in-law alleged that the family had repeatedly sought help from law enforcement and child protective services to prevent such a tragedy.
Families of victims in the 2023 Kentucky bank shooting have filed a lawsuit against River City Firearms, the gun shop that sold an AR-15 to the shooter, Connor Sturgeon. The lawsuit alleges that the shop should have been more suspicious of the sale and noticed red flags, as Sturgeon had little knowledge of firearms and appeared embarrassed during the purchase. The suit also claims that the shop has a legal duty to withhold a sale from a buyer who might be a danger to others. Sturgeon, who struggled with mental illness, used the AR-15 to kill five co-workers and injure several others before being fatally shot by a responding police officer.
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to intervene in the Illinois ban on AR-15 semiautomatic weapons, marking the second time in six months that the justices have left the law in place. The ban, passed after a mass shooting in 2022, prohibits the ownership of semiautomatic weapons and magazines that enable rapid firing. Gun rights advocates argue that the ban infringes on the Second Amendment, while the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, stating that semiautomatic weapons are more akin to military-grade weaponry than firearms used for self-defense. The Supreme Court's action is not a decision on the merits of the case, and without conflicting lower court decisions, the justices may have seen no need to intervene.
The Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, originally built to supply the US military, has shifted its focus to commercial sales and is now one of the largest manufacturers of commercial AR-15 ammunition in the US. While the majority of rounds sold end up in the hands of law-abiding citizens, the facility has been linked to more than a dozen mass shootings, including the Aurora movie theater shooting, the Parkland school shooting, and the Las Vegas Strip mass shooting. Semiautomatic rifles like the AR-15 are increasingly used in mass shootings, and the US currently has 20 million AR-style rifles in circulation.
The Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, originally built to supply the US military, has shifted its focus to commercial sales and is now one of the largest manufacturers of commercial AR-15 ammunition in the US. While the majority of rounds sold end up in the hands of law-abiding citizens, the facility has been linked to more than a dozen mass shootings, including the Aurora movie theater shooting, the Parkland school shooting, and the Las Vegas Strip mass shooting. The Buffalo supermarket shooter also mentioned Lake City in his manifesto, praising the rounds made there for their barrier penetration capabilities. Semiautomatic rifles like the AR-15 are increasingly used in mass shootings, with an estimated 20 million AR-style rifles in circulation in the US.
The Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Missouri, which has been manufacturing rifle cartridges for the U.S. military since World War II, has also been supplying billions of rounds of military-grade ammunition to the commercial market. This ammunition, marked with the distinctive "LC" stamp, has been found at crime scenes across the country, including mass shootings. While the majority of these rounds are purchased by law-abiding citizens, they have also been seized from criminals, drug dealers, and antigovernment groups. The plant's commercial operations have outpaced its military production, raising concerns about the lack of public accountability and oversight in the marketing and sale of this ammunition.
A man armed with an AR-15 was arrested near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The Capitol Police responded to a report of a suspicious package in the Upper Senate Park. The suspect was found parked with the weapon across from Union Station. Authorities believe he was acting alone, and there is no ongoing threat. The investigation is ongoing, and the area has been secured.
Florida roofing company, Roof EZ, is offering a Thanksgiving special that includes a free frozen turkey and an AR-15 assault rifle. The company's president, Jason Polly, believes that the AR-15 will provide protection for families in the current uncertain times. However, customers must pass a background check and not have any felonies to be eligible for the offer. The special has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it promotes gun violence. For customers who do not want the gun, Roof EZ is offering a $500 discount on their purchase.