Authorities getting purchase info

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Mr2005

New member
With regards to the Colorado shooting, anyone know how the shooters purchase info was able to be obtained so quickly? (assuming the info in the media was accurate)

On Friday, his purchases were put out, but at that point they had not been in his apartment and LE said he wasn't cooperating. Any LE out there know how they got his online info?
 
T

Tom Servo

Staff
With regards to the Colorado shooting, anyone know how the shooters purchase info was able to be obtained so quickly?
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Local law enforcement would have noted the serial numbers and forwarded them to the ATF for a trace. I'm guessing these were pushed to the front of the line.
 
B

Botswana

New member
I'm sure they keep track of basic statistics. They even mentioned gun purchases from last year as a comparison.
 
T

Tom Servo

Staff
How? Isn't that information supposed to be destroyed?
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The NICS background check information is. However, there's still a trail for tracing crime guns.

Let's say they wanted to trace the Remington 870. Local law enforcement makes a note of the serial number and forwards it to the ATF for a trace. The ATF calls Remington and finds out they shipped it to Bob's Gun Vault. Bob is then required to pull the 4473 for that particular gun.

Bob is prohibited from giving out that information to the general public, but he must maintain the forms for 20 years, or for the life of the business.

Usually, the process takes awhile, but I can certainly see this one being made a priority.
 
M

Mr2005

New member
Sorry Tom, to clarify, I was referring to things like his ammo purchaser. I can see how they traced his firearms.

Can the search things like ups deliveries to an address and see who they are from?
 
D

Don H

New member
It seems like more and more FFLs are using bound book software. I suspect distributors are also. That would speed up the tracking process significantly.
 
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Tom Servo

Staff
I was referring to things like his ammo purchaser.
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That would be more difficult. Dealers are only required to keep paperwork on firearms purchases. As others have mentioned, law enforcement would have to have checked credit card records or something similar on Holmes' end.
 
4

44 AMP

Staff
If you buy it with a credit card, the info of what, where, and when you bought it is on file with the creditcard company. They are generally most happy to co-operate with any and all law enforcement investigations.

Even though its about you, and something you did, the information isn't "yours" it is theirs, so your privacy rights don't enter into it.

At least, that's how I understand it.
 
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