Washington, D.C
Gun shops that sold weapons trafficked into DC sued by nation's capital and Maryland
![Gun shops that sold weapons trafficked into DC sued by nation's capital and Maryland Gun shops that sold weapons trafficked into DC sued by nation's capital and Maryland](https://media.nbcwashington.com/2024/09/GettyImages-1248275772.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=1200%2C675)
Three gun shops that sold nearly three dozen firearms to a man who trafficked the weapons in and around Washington, D.C., are facing a new lawsuit jointly filed Tuesday by attorneys general for Maryland and the nation’s capital.
At least nine of those guns have now been found at crime scene and or with people wanted on warrants for violent offenses, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said. Many of the others are still unaccounted for.
“Our city is being flooded with illegal weapons,” he said. “All three of these stores ignored the red flags.”
Washington, D.C., has struggled with gun violence in recent years. The nation’s capital saw its highest number of homicides in more than three decades last year, and more than 90% of those were carried out with firearms, the suit states.
“Many of us watch the news and we wonder where all these guns are coming from,” said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. “Now we have part of the answer.”
In Washington, the supply of weapons is often fueled by people who buy guns for others who can’t legally possess them, Schwalb said. About 95% of guns recovered in Washington, D.C., which has strict gun laws, originally come from nearby Maryland or Virginia, Schwalb said. While some of those are stolen weapons, more come from illegal straw sales, according to data about firearm trafficking investigations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The suit seeks unspecified damages and court action to halt any future straw purchases.
The lawsuit is the first to be filed jointly and comes as cities and states around the country file civil suits against gun shops, including in New Jersey, Minnesota, Chicago and Philadelphia. Kansas City also settled a suit last year against a gun dealer accused of ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally.
Licensed firearm dealers do work with ATF to identify possible straw purchases, said Larry Keane, senior vice president at the National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry group. Still, he said that warning signs may not always be obvious at busy stores, where a buyer might encounter different employees on different days.
“The focus should be on the actions of the criminal, not trying to scapegoat retailers who do their best every day to try to prevent straw purchasing,” he said, pointing to a 2016 Justice Department survey of people in prison that found a relatively small number had gotten firearms from a retail source.
The new suit, filed with the gun safety group Everytown Law, accuses the Maryland-based stores of failing to respond to warning signs, including bulk purchasing and repetitive purchases.
The three stores sold a total of nearly three dozen similar weapons to Demetrius Minor over a seven-month period in 2021, the suit said. Nearly all were trafficked to others, including people who aren’t legally allowed to buy firearms, the suit alleges. One gun, for example, was found in a D.C. hotel room along with an illegal large-capacity magazine and another was found at the home of a stabbing suspect, the suit says.
Minor pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license last year in a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. An attorney who represented Minor could not immediately be reached for comment.
One store, Atlantic Guns, Inc., said it has “never and will never knowingly sell to someone who we have reason to believe is committing a straw purchase.” Another, United Gun Shop, declined immediate comment, and the third, Engage Armament LLC, did not immediately respond.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and court action to halt any future straw purchases.
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Washington, D.C
Gun shops that sold weapons trafficked into Washington, DC, sued by nation's capital and Maryland
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three gun shops that sold nearly three dozen firearms to a man who trafficked the weapons in and around Washington, D.C., are facing a new lawsuit jointly filed Tuesday by attorneys general for Maryland and the nation’s capital.
At least nine of those guns have now been found at crime scene and or with people wanted on warrants for violent offenses, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said. Many of the others are still unaccounted for.
“Our city is being flooded with illegal weapons,” he said. “All three of these stores ignored the red flags.”
The stores are accused of failing to respond to warning signs that the guns would be sold to other people, including bulk purchasing and repetitive purchases, known as straw purchasing, according to the lawsuit filed with the gun safety group Everytown Law.
“Many of us watch the news and we wonder where all these guns are coming from,” said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. “Now we have part of the answer.”
The lawsuit is the first to be filed jointly and comes after other civil suits against gun shops filed around the country, including New Jersey, Minnesota, Chicago and Philadelphia. Kansas City also settled a suit last year against a gun dealer accused of ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally.
Washington, D.C., has struggled with gun violence in recent years. The nation’s capital saw its highest number of homicides in more than three decades last year, and more than 90% of those were carried out with firearms, the suit states.
Schwalb said that the supply of weapons is fueled partly by straw purchasing. About 95% of guns recovered in Washington, D.C., which has strict gun laws, originally come from nearby Maryland or Virginia, he said. While some of those are stolen weapons, more come from illegal straw sales, according to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The three gun shops sued Tuesday are accused of selling a total of nearly three dozen similar weapons to Demetrius Minor over a seven-month period in 2021. Nearly all were trafficked to others, including people who aren’t legally allowed to buy firearms, the suit alleges. One gun, for example, was found in a D.C. hotel room along with an illegal large-capacity magazine and another was found at the home of a stabbing suspect, the suit says.
Minor pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license last year in a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. An attorney who represented Minor could not immediately be reached for comment.
The suit was filed against Engage Armament LLC, United Gun Shop and Atlantic Guns, Inc., all located in nearby Montgomery County, Maryland. It seeks unspecified damages and court action to halt any future straw purchases. The stores did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Washington, D.C
Dallas Wings vs. Washington Mystics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch – Bleacher Nation
![Dallas Wings vs. Washington Mystics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch – Bleacher Nation Dallas Wings vs. Washington Mystics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch – Bleacher Nation](https://www.bleachernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/httpscdn.dataskrive.comapiassetJcMTWu3.jpg)
The Dallas Wings (9-23) host the Washington Mystics (9-23) after Arike Ogunbowale scored 34 points in the Wings’ 100-93 loss to the Fever. The matchup airs on BSSWX and MNMT at 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Watch the WNBA all season long on Fubo!
How to Watch Wings vs. Mystics
Wings vs. Mystics Scoring Insights
Tune in to select WNBA games on Prime Video this season.
Wings’ Recent Performance
Mystics’ Recent Performance
Dallas’ Top Scorers
Name | GP | PTS | REB | ASST | STL | BLK | 3PM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arike Ogunbowale | 31 | 22.7 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 3.1 |
Satou Sabally | 7 | 20.6 | 6.3 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 3 |
Natasha Howard | 20 | 17.6 | 7 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 |
Teaira McCowan | 32 | 11.1 | 7.9 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0 |
Maddy Siegrist | 19 | 10.9 | 3.2 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
Washington’s Top Scorers
Name | GP | PTS | REB | ASST | STL | BLK | 3PM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ariel Atkins | 32 | 15.3 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 1.9 |
Brittney Sykes | 10 | 12.7 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.9 |
Shakira Austin | 11 | 12.6 | 7.3 | 1 | 1.4 | 1 | 0.1 |
Stefanie Dolson | 31 | 10.4 | 5.2 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
Karlie Samuelson | 21 | 8.8 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1 | 0 | 1.7 |
Rep your favorite team with officially licensed WNBA gear from Fanatics!
Wings’ Injury Report
Wings: Awak Kuier: Out For Season (Rest)
Mystics’ Injury Report
Mystics: None
Buy WNBA tickets on Vivid Seats!
Washington, D.C
Police identify armed man fatally shot by DC officers after McDonald’s crash – WTOP News
![Police identify armed man fatally shot by DC officers after McDonald’s crash – WTOP News Police identify armed man fatally shot by DC officers after McDonald’s crash – WTOP News](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/McDonalds_Harassment_21840-scaled.jpg)
Two police officers shot and killed a man at a McDonald’s on Marion Barry Avenue Southeast on Sunday.
Police have identified the armed man who was fatally shot by two D.C. police officers outside of a McDonald’s on Marion Barry Avenue Southeast on Sunday morning.
Around 5:30 a.m., police responded to reports of a vehicle crashing into the McDonald’s. When police arrived, they saw a car crashed into the restaurant, but there was little visible damage.
Officers then found 26-year-old Justin Robinson, of Southeast D.C., unresponsive inside his car, police said.
WTOP news partner 7News confirmed that Robinson worked with the D.C. Office of the Attorney General’s “Cure the Streets” violence interruption program.
WTOP has reached out to the OAG and the program for comment.
Police said a firearm was also seen in the car on Robinson’s lap. Officers already on the scene called for additional backup, according to police.
Some time later, officers said they saw Robinson moving in his car while holding the gun. Officers shouted for him to drop the gun and as they approached, they claim Robinson reached out and grabbed one of the officer’s service weapons, according to a news release.
Two other officers immediately fired at Robinson, striking him.
D.C. Fire and EMS were already on the scene and began performing lifesaving measures until Robinson died from his injuries.
The two officers involved in the shooting have been put on administrative leave. D.C. police said body camera footage from the shooting will be released after it has been reviewed.
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