“...they broke into a gun safe at Erickson’s home ... (both guns were purchased legally) ... the two used cocaine in his basement before going back to school...”
But you know the guns will be blamed.
Broke into a “gun safe”? I doubt it. I have a gun cabinet and a gun safe. If someone doesn’t know the combination, the only way into the safe is with a pretty sophisticated cutting torch or some other pretty fancy safe cracker’s tools.