Police at gunshop

merlinfire · May 10, 2011

Was just at a gunshop finishing up a layaway on a 1911 and a couple of police came in. They asked if anyone knew <guys name>. The gunshop owner said yes he had met him, he'd just been in to get a gun and the paperwork had come back denied.

They said he had no record or warrants they they could see and the tip they had came from a database, but it didn't tell them what the problem was other than he had tried to buy a gun. They had no warrant or reason to arrest and just wanted to talk to him, they said. When asked whether they normally do this for denials they said they normally don't get notifications of that.

What is up with that?

PS. the 1911 turns out was traded in by one of the cops that responded to the tip, as the gunshop owner mentioned which one it came from

M-Cameron · May 10, 2011

my guess ( and i think a guess is the best answer you are going to get from anyone).......is that he is a suspect or was witnessed at a previous incident and they just want to talk to him.

Frogomatik · May 10, 2011

that does seem odd, but without knowing any details, anything we could say would just be speculation. Though it certainly piques my curiosity as to what were those details.

WC145 · May 10, 2011

A "person of interest".

Remo223 · May 10, 2011

very strange. They didn't even know why they wanted to talk to him? Basically a computer just told them to go question the guy? And they decide to go to a gunshop to find him rather than his house?

quite disturbing. I'm liking this country less and less every day.

chevyman097 · May 10, 2011

Exactly why would they go to the mans home first if they were notified he was trying to buy a gun at that specific shop?

It does seem strange though that they would be notified but not as to why. You would think the system would be set up to notify the police why if the person in question was thought to be that big of a threat.

Remo223 · May 10, 2011

because he's more likely to be there. who's gonna hang around a gunshop after being DENIED?

cyclopsshooter · May 10, 2011

buyer coulda been a psyco released from a funny farm... dont go jumping the gun and saying the country is going to hell... put the tin foil hats away

Murphy4570 · May 10, 2011

Police have the right to "talk" to anyone they please. Whether or not they get any responses beyond "I want a lawyer" is up to the person being questioned.

Do not overestimate stupid* criminals. They will freely and happily waive their 5th Amendment right barring self-incrimination time and time again, if you let them. The police know this.

I'm not saying that guy IS a criminal (presumed innocent and all), but he had to have done something to get on the cop's radar. Could have been something trivial.

mnrivrat · May 10, 2011

It is illegal to attempt to purchase a gun if you are a felon . Me thinks the police wern't just sent there to have a chat .

doubleh · May 10, 2011

Seems like he would have a record if he were a felon. The OP stated he had no record or warrants.

45_auto · May 10, 2011

Seems like he would have a record if he were a felon. The OP stated he had no record or warrants.

You really believe the police are going to tell all their business to some random joker standing in a gunshop?

They aren't going to give anything away on why they came looking for the guy.

Cryogaijin · May 10, 2011

Ok, so, first note: One of the two fuzz already use that gun shop.

Second note: Fuzz are people too. (Mostly.)

Third note: People enjoy going to the gun shop. . . even at work.

Sure they got a ping, but there is no reason to assume anything sinister.

WNC Seabee · May 10, 2011

Why would you expect the cops to tell you why they wanted to talk to the guy?

Grousefeather · May 10, 2011

I dont understand , If they didn't know why they wanted to talk to him, just what were they going to ask?

Nushif · May 10, 2011

Why would you expect the cops to tell you why they wanted to talk to the guy?

That's what I'm guessing ... maybe it's because I'm used to the e-bil gubmint but uh ...

Is there *really* this expectation of "Why, good Sir! the person standing in front of you is indeed a felon! But since you're a gun store visitor or owner, I can trust you.. so could you kindly tell him that we are sending some officers to collect his child support? thanks!"

rondog · May 11, 2011

Perhaps the guy had already been denied several other times at other shops, and that raised a red flag in the system?

Jeff White · May 11, 2011

Here in Illinois we have a state run instant check system. It was up and running a few years before the federal system. We always would get a call from the state police if someone with an active warrant was attempting to buy a gun.

I responded to several of those, never did get there before the person with the warrant left the shop. And no I would never just tell the public anything about the person. Number one, the warrant may have been a soundex hit, a similar name or other identifying features, why cause the person any embarrassment?

Number 2, the people in gun shop might tip the person off make him/her harder to catch.

If they did show up right after the NICS denial then there probably was a warrant.....

Remo223 · May 11, 2011

^why even bother going to the shop? I can't imagine anyone sticking around in a shop after being denied. The first thing I'd do is go home, get on the internet, and try to figure out how the heck I'm going to deal with this. Then maybe start making phone calls and sending emails.

Steve 48 · May 11, 2011

He probably had a warrant and did not want to say that. That is the only reason why they come.

HorseSoldier · May 11, 2011

Interesting. That must have been a serious "denied" hit on the background check. Sounds more like ATF business than local law enforcement business to me, unless there's some state or local statutes where you are that might also come into play.

Cop Bob · May 11, 2011

Jeff White said:
Here in Illinois we have a state run instant check system. It was up and running a few years before the federal system. We always would get a call from the state police if someone with an active warrant was attempting to buy a gun.

I responded to several of those, never did get there before the person with the warrant left the shop. And no I would never just tell the public anything about the person. Number one, the warrant may have been a soundex hit, a similar name or other identifying features, why cause the person any embarrassment?

Number 2, the people in gun shop might tip the person off make him/her harder to catch.

If they did show up right after the NICS denial then there probably was a warrant.....

BINGO.................!!!!!

All we need now if Paul Harvey... for the Rest of the Story... which we will never have...

My Guess it dat he wad a berry berry bad boy .. and that they wanted to have a chat with him. on a professional level of course..!!!!

mljdeckard · May 11, 2011

I agree. They came for a reason. They won't say out loud why they are there.

merlinfire · May 12, 2011

You really believe the police are going to tell all their business to some random joker standing in a gunshop?

They aren't going to give anything away on why they came looking for the guy.

Now that's not very nice. These cops and the shop owner were friends. Besides, aren't criminal convictions public record?

AirForceShooter · May 12, 2011

Why would you expect a LEO to tell you why they want to talk to someone?
As for the warrant, they don't need one to take someone into custody.

As for the " we just want to talk to him" the LEO's lied to you.
Good for them.

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Police at gunshop

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