Why do people say that Cho Seung-Hui should not have been able to buy a gun?

Question

I mean, The Press asked the gun clerk why he sold him a glock 19(the gun used) And he said that Cho looked like a "clean cut college kid". So why are a bunch of people I know saying "He should not have been able to buy a gun" - what ever happened to the right to bear arms? I'd like to think that I could buy a firearm and i look like a "clean cut college kid". (most of the time anyway)

One law enforcement official said Cho's backpack contained a receipt for a March purchase of a Glock 9 mm pistol. Cho held a green card, meaning he was a legal, permanent resident. That meant he was eligible to buy a handgun unless he had been convicted of a felony.

Roanoke Firearms owner John Markell said his shop sold the Glock and a box of practice ammo to Cho 36 days ago for $571.

"He was a nice, clean-cut college kid. We won't sell a gun if we have any idea at all that a purchase is suspicious," Markell said

Answer 1

Ignorance is an immediate,simple answer in times like these... Kind of almost like the "Kill All Muslims" attitude in the days following 9/11.

The bottom line is this, this kid bought the gun legally... the gun store owner followed all procedures required of him by law during the sales of said weapons. What the hell are these anti-gun activists going to want next as a requirement to purchase a hand gun, a psych evaluation from 3 different doctors?

Weapons and words are easy things to attack because they can't defend themselves... it's time that we as an "intelligent people" begin realizing that these objects have no sense of responsibility, it is we that are responsible for their usage.

Answer 2

Using the same SFGate article I used for another answer, I'll point out that as a permanent US resident with no felony on his record, he could legally buy a firearm. The gunshop owner who sold it may have made the "clean-cut college kid" comment, but don't fool yourself into thinking that was the only determinant. Cho had to fill out the paperwork and go through the same background check all buyers have to go through. He passed, and therefore by US law the gunshop owner was authorized to sell the gun to him.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2007/04/17/national/a094055D47.DTL

Answer 3

Legally he had every right to buy a gun. So the people saying he should not have are not thinking with their head. He was a legal resident, passed the background check. He did everything legally. The gun shop had no reason not to sell to him. Now if he had had some notation about using depression drugs, that would have prevented him from getting one via the background check.

Answer 4

Virginia does not have a 3 day waiting period to buy a gun. The reason is that they can do instant backround checks through the state police. Hui met all the criteria to legally own a gun. Most states have laws more lax. Gun shops in Va. report illegal attempts to buy guns instantly. This is a deterrent for felons to try to buy a gun in Va. It is sad to say, but nobody can readily identify a psychopath without extensive psychiatric screening. I don'tbelieve it is feasible to do that for every person in the US.

Answer 5

yeah...the weapons card or should I say the right to own a gun always comes to play in a situation like this. I heard that interview and I agree with the gun seller. What would have happened if weopons were allowed on campus if the carrier had a permit, such as the instructers and even students? but guns dont kill people...people using a gun to kill, kill people.

Answer 6

He was an immigrant. Some people think immigrants shouldn't be able to purchase firearms because they might be terrorists even if they are here legally. I personally don't believe this but this is the reason I believe some people are saying he shouldn't have the right to bare firearms. He was a South Korean native, even though South Korea is a democracy. He was also a greencard holder so, he did have the right ot bare arms.

Answer 7

Man can not stop the problems that we all face today. God's Kingdom is our only hope. Man has dominated man to his injury. The more we look at history the more we realize that man has not learned from history. This was a evil demonic act. People will always be able to find guns just like they are able to buy drugs until God rids the earth of wickedness. The wicked do not obey the laws of the land or listen to God.

Answer 8

sadly almost anyone can purchase a gun, it's not about the gun being purchased it's what he did with the gun that has the world in shock and mourning this is such a sad tragedy. My prayers go out to the families

Answer 9

it incredibly is too late for you human beings to have gun administration,you have a superb type of weapons on the line.i understand iv'e heard weapons do no longer kill human beings do,I even have stated if i am going away a weapon leaning against the wall for years it won't shoot anybody till somebody alternatives it up and somebody will.there ought to be a controversy with a neighbor,somewhat grog,i will teach him,out comes the rifle you won't intend to shoot yet he tries to take it from you and you shoot out of worry that he ought to take it off you and apply it to you,if the rifle became into no longer there it ought to in ordinary terms be a punch.we've very strict rules in australia,in case you reside in the city its almost impossible to get a rifle and im in ordinary terms conversing some .22,you will desire to have letters from farmers asserting you could shoot on their factors,the weapons would desire to be locked up and that they examine.You wont study in the paper the place somebody right here walked by a mall with a boomerang killing human beings after which became it on himself.

Answer 10

I don't know. I think people just tend to go into lapses of brain activity, and believe that the guy at the gun store should've known somehow in his head that this seemingly harmless kid was going to go on a massacre.

It's ridiculous.