Page 4 - aruba-today-20240904

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 4 september 2024
Gun shops that sold weapons trafficked into Washington, DC, sued

by nation’s capital and Maryland

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST possible straw purchases,
Associated Press said Larry Keane, senior
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three vice president at the Na-
gun shops that sold nearly tional Shooting Sports Foun-
three dozen firearms to a dation, an industry group.
man who trafficked the Still, he said that warning
weapons in and around signs may not always be
Washington, D.C., are fac- obvious at busy stores,
ing a new lawsuit jointly where a buyer might en-
filed Tuesday by attorneys counter different employ-
general for Maryland and ees on different days.
the nation’s capital. “The focus should be on
At least nine of those guns the actions of the criminal,
have now been found at not trying to scapegoat
crime scene and or with retailers who do their best
people wanted on war- every day to try to prevent
rants for violent offenses, straw purchasing,” he said,
D.C. Attorney General pointing to a 2016 Justice
Brian Schwalb said. Many Department survey of peo-
of the others are still unac- ple in prison that found a
counted for. relatively small number had
“Our city is being flooded gotten firearms from a retail
with illegal weapons,” he source.
said. “All three of these The new suit, filed with the
stores ignored the red Brian Schwalb, attorney general for the District of Columbia, center left, and Maryland Attorney gun safety group Every-
flags.” General Anthony Brown, to his right, speak outside the federal courthouse, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024 town Law, accuses the
Washington, D.C., has in Washington. Maryland-based stores of
struggled with gun violence Associated Press failing to respond to warn-
in recent years. The nation’s “Now we have part of the some of those are stolen filed jointly and comes as ing signs, including bulk
capital saw its highest num- answer.” weapons, more come from cities and states around the purchasing and repetitive
ber of homicides in more In Washington, the supply illegal straw sales, accord- country file civil suits against purchases.
than three decades last of weapons is often fueled ing to data about firearm gun shops, including in The three stores sold a total
year, and more than 90% of by people who buy guns trafficking investigations New Jersey, Minnesota, of nearly three dozen simi-
those were carried out with for others who can’t legal- from the Bureau of Alcohol, Chicago and Philadelphia. lar weapons to Demetrius
firearms, the suit states. ly possess them, Schwalb Tobacco, Firearms and Ex- Kansas City also settled a Minor over a seven-month
“Many of us watch the said. About 95% of guns plosives. suit last year against a gun period in 2021, the suit said.
news and we wonder recovered in Washington, The suit seeks unspecified dealer accused of ignoring Nearly all were trafficked
where all these guns are D.C., which has strict gun damages and court action evidence that guns were to others, including people
coming from,” said Mary- laws, originally come from to halt any future straw pur- being sold illegally. who aren’t legally allowed
land Attorney General An- nearby Maryland or Vir- chases. Licensed firearm dealers to buy firearms, the suit al-
thony Brown. ginia, Schwalb said. While The lawsuit is the first to be do work with ATF to identify leges. q

Commander of Navy warship relieved of duty months after

backward rifle scope photo flap

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The missile destroyer” that’s cur- didn’t elaborate about on the Navy’s social me- Yaste has been temporarily
commander of a Navy de- rently deployed in the Gulf why Yaste was replaced. dia showed Yaste in a fir- replaced by Capt. Allison
stroyer that’s helping pro- of Oman. The statement In April, a photo posted ing stance gripping the rifle Christy, deputy commo-
tect the San Diego-based with a backward scope. dore of Destroyer Squadron
aircraft carrier USS Theo- The military news outlet 21, which is part of the USS
dore Roosevelt in the Mid- Stars and Stripes reported Abraham Lincoln Carrier
dle East has been relieved that the Marine Corps took Strike Group that’s also in
of duty about four months a dig at the Navy, sharing the Gulf of Oman.
after he was seen in a pho- a photo on its social media The Pentagon sent the car-
to firing a rifle with a scope of a Marine firing a weap- riers to the Middle East to
mounted backward. on aboard the amphibious be in position should Israel
The image brought the assault ship USS Boxer. The need help repelling an at-
Navy considerable ridicule caption read: “Clear Sight tack by Iran or other coun-
on social media. The San Di- Picture.” tries, if such a thing hap-
ego Union-Tribune reported The post featuring Yaste pens, military officials said.
that Cameron Yaste, com- was ultimately deleted. The Roosevelt is the flag-
manding officer of the de- “Thank you for pointing out ship of a strike group that
stroyer USS John McCain, our rifle scope error in the has recently included three
was removed on Friday. previous post,” the Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroy-
The Navy said Yaste was re- This undated photo, provided by Stars and Stripes, shows later wrote on social media. ers, $2 billion vessels that
lieved of duty “due to a loss Cameron Yaste, commanding officer of the destroyer USS John “Picture has been removed are designed to shield car-
of confidence in his ability McCain, firing a rifle with a backwards scope. until EMI (extra military in- riers from attacks by air, sea
to command the guided- Associated Press struction) is completed.” and land.q