Both a shotgun and a rifle require the same background check and wait for approval or a ten day waiting period. He couldn’t have bought a shotgun if he couldn’t have bought a rifle.
It’s those dang assault shotguns!
Oh no!
So, let’s see if I have this right ...
There IS a Virginia specific assault weapons law that does place restrictions on the purchase of assault weapons.
Assault weapons under the law are defined by aesthetic criteria that are easily circumvented by an informed buyer willing to make separate purchases of items like a folding stock, flash suppressor and large capacity magazine.
Regardless of whether he could have bought the AR-15 or not, and despite having played with it, there’s no actual verified evidence that the gunman tried to purchase it.
Is that it? Am I missing anything?