Journalists and leftist activists are calling for a ban on gun purchases by convicted domestic abusers after the Texas church shooting, seemingly unaware that such a law already exists.
Crazy thought: lifetime gun ban for anyone who raises a hand against a woman or a child
— David Frum (@davidfrum) November 6, 2017
Take guns away from men who abuse women and children. That should be the baseline for a civil society. Alas. https://t.co/3eQyz36Pij
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) November 6, 2017
Full background checks
Permanent assault weapon ban
Lifetime ban on gun ownership for people convicted of domestic violence
— Jesse Berney (@jesseberney) November 6, 2017
The GOP has made it clear at the highest level it won’t take any actions to stop domestic abusers from murdering children in church.
— Mary Beth Williams (@embeedub) November 6, 2017
Hey @POTUS how bout “extreme vetting” for gun ownership and “banning” all domestic violence perps? There’s a #toughoncrime solution for ya!
— Emmy Tiderington (@emmytiderington) November 6, 2017
Stop Domestic Abusers From Becoming Mass Shooters With This One Neat Trick
— Kashana (@kashanacauley) November 6, 2017
A common thread almost every mass murderer shares, incl Devin Patrick Kelley: a history of abusing women. Why DV should END gun ownership!
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) November 6, 2017
Last year, the Supreme Court upheld a federal law that prevents people with misdemeanor domestic violence convictions from possessing or purchasing firearms. The law was enacted in 1996 and was intended to extend provisions in a 1968 act that banned anyone convicted of a felony or who had a domestic violence protective order from possessing a firearm.
In fact, Devin P. Kelley, the gunman who killed at least 26 people in a Texas church on Sunday, was denied a gun license from the state. It is unclear how he was able to get around a background check in 2016 to buy a semi-automatic rifle in San Antonio, as his history of domestic violence should have precluded him from buying the gun. Lying on a background check form is a felony, and Kelley’s domestic violence conviction should have been caught by the federal background check system.
There may have been some kind of breakdown in the system, but buying a gun with a domestic violence conviction is already against the law.
WATCH: HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TEXAS CHURCH SHOOTER
Follow Amber on Twitter
