WASHINGTON— Federal authorities sought to take back guns from thousands of people the background check system should have blocked from buying weapons because they had criminal records, mental health issues or other problems that would disqualify them.
A USA TODAY review found that the FBI issued more than 4,000 requests last year for agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives to retrieve guns from prohibited buyers.
It’s the largest number of such retrieval requests in 10 years, according to FBI records– an especially striking statistic after revelations that a breakdown in the background check system allowed a troubled Air Force veteran to buy a rifle later used to kill 26 worshipers at a Texas church last month.
The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) vets millions of gun purchase transactions every year. But the thousands of gun seizure requests highlight persistent problems in a system where analysts must complete background checks within three days of the proposed purchase. If the background check is not complete within the 72-hour time limit, federal law allows the sale to go forward. ATF agents are asked to take back the guns if the FBI later finds these sales should have been denied.
ht/ fdr in hell
Non news trying to prove NICS don’t work, bullshit. Out of what 25 million checks they get 4,000? Fast and furious come to mind?
Highest in 10 years? All Obola the cummunist’s reign? Imagine that.
“Sorry, gun’s been sold to a private buyer, I didn’t keep a receipt / I lost it in a boating accident in a deep lake, I don’t remember which one.”
Now there’s a slippery slope!
Oh, please have videos of the attempts!
This is likely a “Dry Run” to see how much push-back would be encountered by the G-Men in s nationwide confiscation.
Popcorn is ready.
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@Ann Thracts December 5, 2017 at 8:02 am
But didn’t Jeff Sessions’ presser restore your faith in the honor, integrity, and competency of Law enforcement? I mean, come on!, somebody even re-Tweeted it.
Sessions really needs to go, first he’s all in for LE stealing money and now gun confiscation.
Remember when you were told background checks keep no records of gun owners? This is exactly why I’ve always been against all background checks, I knew from the beginning the bastards couldn’t be trusted and would be keeping every gun owner on file.
Does this mean you’re shit outta luck on the money you paid?
Actually, you’re not only shit out of luck for the money you paid, you’re subject to prosecution for perjury on the 4473.
And I won’t shed a tear, either. These people knew that they were prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms and they did it anyway.
This isn’t about wholesale gun confiscation. It’s about enforcing a legitimate law that’s been in effect for years. I’m all for the 2nd Amendment. I’m an NRA Lifer and a competitive shooter, so don’t start complaining I’m anti-gun.
Felons, wife-beaters and the mentally ill get no pity from me when it comes to illegally attempting to buy guns. I won’t start making excuses for these folks. They broke the law and they deserve what they get.
Given the false positives, data base deficiencies, and mistakes made by bureaucrats and FBI, I bet most are not really prohibited persons.
Who you gonna trust, the FBI or your own lyin’ eyes? rotfl
This is beyond ridiculous.
How’s that investigation of the Vegas shooting going fellas?
bobdog
Interesting. I’m not really taking a position on this BUT, the Second Amendment says nothing about Felons not being able to own guns. I still think this would be a great topic for discussion sometime.
Also, California doesn’t use the NICS. They use their own system. Ten day wait, but they can take up to thirty. If the dealer doesn’t have an answer back in 30 days they can release the weapon. Well two years ago there were a shit load of guns released to people that didn’t pass the background check because CalDoj went of thirty days. Kamy Harris’s initial solution was to have the gun stores retrieve the guns. That didn’t fly well.
bobdog, what if some of those people didn’t lie on the form? What if the feds come knocking on your door?
What we’ve found out with all these shootings and now this confiscation is what many of us have always said, background checks are a back door to gun registration. It’s been too damn easy for them to know the complete buying history of every shooter.
Personally, I will always choose my rights that include gun ownership without the government knowing every gun I own.
It’s funny to me how so many people were against background checks and now all these years later are so comfortable with them and think they keep them safe.
Now the Feds will just have to go door-to-door and confiscate ALL the guns.
It’s the only way to be sure.
/sarc off/
Just to be sure, all those criminals with illegal black market guns still get to keep them right?