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City Offers Tickets To The (Illegal) Gun Show
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 7, 2009
Modified Oct 7, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 7, 2009
Modified Oct 7, 2009
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Gun Show Undercover is not a new Dick Wolf crime procedural—it's actually NYC's report on the city's investigation into illegal gun sales. According to the city's press release, "The investigation, which covered seven gun shows in three states, proves on video how easy it is for criminals to buy firearms at gun shows. 35 of 47 gun sellers sold to people who said either they probably could not pass a background check or to apparent 'straw purchasers.'" And there are videos!
Over four months, undercover investigators went to seven gun shows in Nevada, Ohio and Tennessee for the stings. Mayor Bloomberg said, "The gun show loophole is a deadly serious problem - and this undercover operation exposes just how pervasive and serious it is. We are sending a copy of our detailed report Gun Show Undercover to every member of the United States Congress. We’ll work with Congressional leaders to pass legislation closing the gun show loophole. This is an issue that has nothing to do with the Second Amendment; it’s about keeping guns from criminals, plain and simple." In other words: Take that, NRA!
You can see more at the Gun Show Undercover website. And Bloomberg has been crusading against illegal guns for a while, to the point of one gun dealer making a Bloomberg bobblehead.
Tagged
gun show
guns
illegal gun
mayor bloomberg
second amendment
straw purchase
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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