ATF Offers $20K for Information on California Halloween Shooting
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the deadly Halloween mass shooting. On October 31, 2019, a shooting incident occurred at a house party in Orinda, CA. The party was held at an Airbnb. The shooting resulted in the deaths of 5 people and injuries to 9 others.
Anyone with any information about this crime should contact ATF at 1-(888)-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or by visiting www.reportit.com or through the mobile “reportit” app, available both on Google Play and the Apple App Store. All calls will remain confidential.
SAAMI Announces Acceptance of Two New Cartridges
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute Inc., (SAAMI), the organization at the forefront of promoting firearms safety by creating standards that ensure safety, reliability and interchangeability of firearms, ammunition and components, announced the acceptance of a new shotshell cartridge and a new centerfire rifle cartridge for SAAMI standardization.
Developed by Federal Ammunition, the 12-Gauge 1¾-inch shotshell was introduced with a maximum average pressure of 11,500 psi, with a 15/16-ounce #8 lead shot load traveling at a velocity of 1,145 feet per second (fps), a 15-pellet #4 lead buckshot load traveling at a velocity of 1,200 fps and a 1-ounce lead rifled slug traveling at a velocity of 1,200 fps.
Developed by Nosler, the 6.5-284 Norma rifle cartridge was introduced with a maximum average pressure of 58,000 psi, with a 130-grain bullet traveling at a velocity of 2,900 fps.
More information on both cartridges can be found here.
ATF, NSSF Offer $3,000 for Information on TN Gun Store Burglary
Regulators & Firearm Industry Team Up to Solve Cypress Creek Outdoors Burglary
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in conjunction with the Dyersburg Police Department and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction for those responsible for the theft of firearms from Cypress Creek Outdoors, a federal firearm licensee (FFL).
On July 20, 2019, Cypress Creek Outdoors, 305 Highway 51 Bypass N, Dyersburg, was burglarized where approximately 7 firearms were reported stolen to the Dyersburg Police Department. ATF Industry Operations Investigators responded to the FFL and are in the process of conducting an inventory to determine the exact number of firearms stolen.
ATF is offering the reward for the amount of up to $1,500, which will be matched by the NSSF for a total reward of up to $3,000. This reward is part of a larger national cooperative initiative between the NSSF and ATF in which NSSF matches ATF’s reward in cases involving the theft of firearms from federally licensed firearms retailers.
“ATF works closely with members of the firearms industry to curb the criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms. ATF Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson said, “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence will leverage investigative resources combined with community partnerships to recover the stolen firearms.”
Anyone with information about this crime should contact ATF at (888) ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or Dyersburg Police Department (731) 288-7022. Information can also be sent to ATFTips@atf.gov, through ATF’s website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips. Tips can be submitted anonymously using the Reportit app, available from both Google Play and the Apple App store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.
ATF is the lead federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction involving firearms and violent crimes, and regulates the firearm industry. More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.
ATF to Alabama Dealers: CCW Permit No Longer Bypasses Background Check
Alabama Carry Permit Will No Longer Act as a Brady Alternative
Cliff’s Notes: Alabama was handing out CCW permits to prohibited persons, who used it to purchase firearms without a background check. Somebody dropped the ball on screening AL CCW licenses and they now no longer bypass the check.
From the ATF:
Public Safety Advisory to all Alabama Federal Firearm Licensees
The purpose of this public safety advisory is to notify you of an important change to the procedure you may follow to comply with the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act (Brady Act), codified at 18 U.S.C. § 922(t), when transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person.
The permanent provisions of the Brady Act took effect on November 30, 1998. The Brady Act generally requires Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to initiate a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check before transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person. However, the Brady Act contains exceptions to the NICS check requirement, including an exception for holders of certain state permits to possess, carry, or acquire firearms. The law and implementing regulations provide that permits issued within the past 5 years may qualify as alternatives to the NICS check if certain other requirements are satisfied. Most importantly, the authority issuing the permit must conduct a NICS background check and must deny a permit to anyone prohibited from possessing firearms under federal, state, or local law. Continue reading
Project Childsafe Marks 20 Years as America’s Leading Firearm Safety Program
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) this year marks the 20th anniversary of its Project ChildSafe program, which has increased awareness of safe firearms handling and storage practices among millions of gun owners, helped reduce accidental firearms deaths to historic lows and become an indispensable firearms safety education resource for partners in every state and the U.S. territories.
“The No. 1 objective of Project ChildSafe has always been saving lives by urging gun owners to store their firearms responsibly when not in use, and giving them the tools to do it,” said NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti.
Those tools include educational materials and more than 38 million free gun locks that have been distributed by a network of thousands of partners from law enforcement, fish and wildlife agencies, conservation groups, firearms retailers, gun ranges, the faith community, tribal organizations, Boy Scouts of America chapters, 4-H and other groups nationwide.
Project ChildSafe has made a meaningful impact on safety nationwide. Annual reports from the National Safety Council show fatal firearms accidents are trending toward the lowest numbers since data collection began, and recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show fatal firearms accidents represent less than half of a percent of all accidental deaths in the U.S. Continue reading
Parkland Report Recommends Arming Teachers
A report released by a special safety commission in Parkland, FL recommends arming teachers to secure schools.
On Feb. 14, 2018, an armed attacker killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School in Parkland. While the murders reignited a national debate on gun control in the United States, it also prompted a months-long investigation into how and why the event happened, and how similar events may be prevented in the future.
The MSD High School Public Safety Commission released over 400 pages covering details of the shooting, identifying security problems and making recommendations.
Among the recommendations was the expansion of a program that allows teachers and staff members to carry concealed firearms to defend students in the event of an active shooter.
“School districts and charter schools should permit the most expansive use of the Guardian Program under existing law to allow personnel — who volunteer, are properly selected, thoroughly screened and extensively trained — to carry concealed firearms on campuses for self-protection and the protection of other staff and students,” the report read.
The current Guardian Program, signed into law by outgoing Republican Gov. Rick Scott shortly after the shooting last year, currently only allows administrators or non-teaching staff to receive firearm training. According to USA Today, the program requires 80 hours of firearms instruction, 16 hours of instruction in precision pistol shooting, 8 hours of shooting instruction using state-of-the-art simulators, and 8 hours of instruction in active-shooter or assailant scenarios.
In April 2018, the Broward County School Board voted against adopting the program, which would have given Broward County schools over $67 million to train and arm teachers, according to the Eagle Eye, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s newspaper.
Speaking about the need for such a program, Polk County sheriff Grady Judd said “911 does not work when there is an active shooter,” noting that the average response time for an active shooter is five minutes while the Parkland incident was over in three.
This week’s report also recommended a full internal investigation of the Broward County sheriff’s office, which responded first to the shooting, to “address all of the actions or inactions of personnel on February 14th, 2018.”
The committee, which includes sheriffs, state politicians and parents of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas victims, among others, first met in April 2018, setting January 2019 as its deadline to submit a preliminary report. During the second half of 2018, the commission held monthly meetings interviewing witnesses and reviewing “a massive amount of evidence,” according to the report.
View the full report here.
