The FBI blocked St.St. Louis school shooter Orlando Harris buys guns: Police

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Orlando Harris opened fire at his old St. Louis a few weeks ago. Two people were killed and seven others were injured Monday at St. Louis High School, where an FBI background check prevented him from buying a gun, police said.

On Oct. 8, Harris, 19, tried to buy weapons from a licensed dealer in St. Petersburg. Charles City, Missouri, but FBI background checks “successfully blocked the deal,” St. St. Louis police said in a press release shared with The Washington Post on Friday.

Police did not say why the FBI flagged Harris. The FBI did not immediately respond to the Post’s message.

After being rejected by a licensed dealer, Harris purchased the AR-style rifle he used in the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School Rampage from a private dealer who legally bought the weapon in 2020, police said. Police have not confirmed the identity of the person. Harris was killed in a shootout with police on Monday.

“In this case, there is no existing law to prevent a private transaction between the original purchaser and the suspect,” police said.

stone.Police say Louis gunman took rifle days before rampage

The new information tracking the gun’s path comes days after police shared that Harris’ mother called 911 on Oct. 10. 15 said he had guns at home and she wanted to move. When officers arrived at Harris’ home around 5 p.m. that day, they took the rifle from Harris’ hands and handed it to an adult who did not live in Harris’ home and was legally allowed to carry it, police said.

Police did not identify the adult and did not answer specific questions about the person’s relationship to Harris. Investigators are still trying to determine how Harris obtained the weapon he used when he broke into his alma mater Monday with 600 rounds of ammunition.

In a statement, police told The Washington Post that after a call from Harris’ mother, officers did not confiscated the rifle when they arrived at Harris’ home because Missouri has no red flag laws, meaning officers did not “clearly” that day. power” to confiscate the rifle. Friday. The red flag law authorizes officers to confiscate weapons if a person is deemed a threat to themselves or others.

Harris’ family told police that Harris was in poor mental health and was in and out of mental health programs. His family regularly monitors his interactions with others, checking his mail and checking his room, Temp St.St. Louis Police Chief Michael Sack press conference Wednesday.

“They did everything they thought was reasonable,” Sack said in a news conference. “I think that’s why the mother was so heartbroken to the families who paid for his episode.”



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