Yes, he did. And thereby hangs the tale. He had an arrest record, and was mentally very shaky. I don't know of anyone who feels he should have been able to get hold of a weapon, not even the staunches pro-gun, lifetime NRA member.
The writer should come on back when he or she figures out a way to keep weapons out of the hands of Jared Loughner without infringing on the right of millions of other citizens who keep and bear arms.
As one of the latter, I have to say the requirements for prohibiting someone from buying a gun are quite specific and high, as well they should be when we are talking about effectively depriving someone of their right to self defense. The standard is being a convicted felon, having been involentarily committed to a mental hospital, or judged to be mentally incompetent. Just having been arrested, convicted of a misdemeanor or viewed as "mentally very shaky" (by whom?) is not adequate reason, at least not yet. Thank God.