Posted on 10/11/2018 8:52:33 AM PDT by rellimpank
Thomas Caldwell once told a federal agent that selling guns was an addiction.
Even after being told to stop because he had no license, the Wisconsin man kept peddling firearms, posting more than 200 ads on a controversial website.
One of those guns, a Glock 26 9 mm handgun, ended up in the hands of a four-time felon who used it in February to kill Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer in a shocking daylight shooting in the heart of the Loop, according to recently filed federal documents.
The records give a rare look at how shadowy gun deals flourish between private owners and over the internet — how easy and lucrative they are. And how lethal they can be.
“I’m not surprised that gun changed hands and came from out of state,” said former Chicago police First Deputy Superintendent John Escalante, Bauer’s childhood friend. “I think they (gun sellers) don’t want to think about that. They are seeing the bottom line, which is money in their hands. If that gun winds up being used to shoot someone, they’re thinking, ‘Well, I didn’t shoot the guy. I didn’t pull the trigger.’ ”
The Chicago Tribune reported in March how the gun — known as a “Baby Glock” for its compact size — made its way from a gun shop near Madison, Wis., to Lower Wacker Drive in Chicago. Now the open and unregulated market that carried it into Chicago has come into sharper focus as federal charges have been filed against Caldwell and a second Wisconsin man, Ron Jones.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
They really need to start firing these partisan propaganda whores pretending to be Journalists.
If Federal charges are being filed OBVIOUSLY there is no “open and unregulated market” involved but instead a criminal act.
MORE regulation is not going to do anything to people all ready breaking existing law.
-headline too long for barf alert and total headline—
Bad actor. This guy was running an illegal gun business, ignored warnings. Not being responsible in selling guns. Hurts all of us, especially the dead cop.
Read the whole article, not bad really. The problem is that ATF dropped the ball. They knew he was dealing guns, not just a citizen conducting legal private sales. Wouldn’t be surprised in details to find that the ATF and others were tracking and monitoring all of this. The number of guns trading hands was substantial. Interesting how quickly they tracked back the gun once it was used. Yes, bet they or other law enforcement folks were neck deep in this.
Fast and Furious II?
Controversial web site? Baby Glock? The invisible one that can’t be seen by x-ray or metal detectors? That “Baby Glock”? Then again, it is the chitcago trib so there is that. Prayers up for the LEO.
When you read the details, the number of guns, the people sold to, the quickness in tracking it, sure. Fast and Furious II, even if on a smaller scale.
-as you no doubt know , if you go to the "controversial" website, the first thing that pops up is the page of instructions on following all applicable law---
There used to be ads in the ‘paper’ for guns for sale. Guess not so much any more huh? I haven’t looked at a ‘paper’ in years. Of course there used to be guns for sale mail order in the back of a lot of magazines too. ;-)
-- Lahti antitank guns were about $250, IIRC--
The ATF doesn’t have the man power to track all these sales.
I asked an ATF agent what process should I follow if I ever had a break in and firearms were stolen. Simple, file a police report, then file ATF Form 3310.11 and that’s that.
If it shows up elsewhere, they’ll deal with it then.
When I sell firearms, I send them to another FFL and the customer has to go through form 4473; the firearm is closed out in my book. No matter what other state laws are, I always work with another FFL first and last when it is not local to me.
While I think some readers of that article would like to make this an issue about private sales, I think the obvious and real target is ATF involvement and failure.
The ATF has the law they need. They just aren’t enforcing it. The same with perps. They aren’t enforcing the laws we have and instead stay they want to do is punish the honest owners.
“There used to be ads in the ‘paper’ for guns for sale.”
Still is. I see them in the Journal all the time. Of course that will probably end if that vermin Rat Sisolak becomes governor. He’s already promised to raise our taxes and dis-arm us.
Imagine what it would be like if newspaper dealers had to check the criminal backgrounds of their customers. Would that represent freedom of the press?
Any person who is free to buy a car should be free to buy a gun. The crime rate would be unaffected. Without all the federal infringements California’s mountain of laws would collapse.
How we have been brain washed since 1968.
One could order full auto and anti tank cannon before that threw the mail.
The whole idea that it matters where the firearm comes from is just anti 2nd amendment pro-registration garbage.
The only reason to trace a firearm is to promote national registration.
Registration only leads to confiscation.
Free market sales is the safety valve against it.
They want all of you to believe it is the guns fault.
Not the criminal that committed the act.
Don’t fall into the anti’s trap of promoting firearm registration.
All these laws are truly unconstitutional and truly infringe on our rights to keep and bear.
Who is “promoting firearm registration”? I sure am not and I don’t think most are on FR. If I could, we should role back all infringing laws. Some argue states rights in this, which opens the door to infringing. I suggest Congress needs to lead with legislation that states the 2nd amendment, like the 1st, knows no boundaries. Set up national standard and roll back or pre-empt state laws banning guns.
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