The perpetrator of the shooting at a Jacksonville video game tournament that left two people dead legally purchased his firearms in the state of Maryland, despite their strict gun laws.
Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said that the shooter recently purchased two handguns used in the shooting from a licensed dealer in the Baltimore area at a news conference Monday afternoon. (RELATED: ‘Mass Shooting’ Reported In Jacksonville, Florida)
According to the Giffords Law Center, “Maryland prohibits any person from purchasing more than one handgun or assault weapon within a 30-day period.”
So, with the knowledge that the shooter purchased the guns legally, it would seem like he purchased one gun, waited a month and then purchased the other.
Further, Court records obtained by the Associated Press show that the shooter was previously hospitalized in psychiatric facilities on two occasions and was prescribed anti-psychotic and anti-depression medication. (RELATED: Report: Jacksonville Shooter Was Hospitalized For Mental Illness)
Maryland has a law that enables family members or friends the ability to take guns away from a person who they deem unfit to have a firearm through a court order. Giffords Law Center explains the law as:
“The law, called an Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO) law, allows a law enforcement officer, family member, dating partner, mental health professional, or health officer to file a petition demonstrating to a judge that an individual poses a danger to himself, herself, or others.”
As of February, the state of Maryland has 66 “firearm-related laws,” which ranks seventh most in the country, according to CNBC.
Despite these regulations in place, the shooter was able to obtain two firearms, drive down to Jacksonville and murder two people and then take his own life.