Police say the shooter who killed eight people at a FedEx in Indianapolis last Thursday purchased his firearms legally.
What We Know:
- On Saturday, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department held a press conference to reveal new details into their investigation of the 19-year-old gunman, Brandon Scott Hole. They announced that the former FedEx employee legally obtained two assault rifles that were used in the attack, despite previously being placed on a ‘red flag’ warning.
- Red flag laws in Indiana are designed to prevent people from purchasing or possessing firearms if they are deemed an imminent risk to themselves or others. Although authorities did not disclose where Hole purchased the guns, they did admit that the weapons were bought in July and September of last year despite Hole being reported to the FBI by his mother.
- According to the state’s website, the law “addresses circumstances where it would be appropriate for a police officer to take custody of a citizen’s firearms, by way of a warrant, or immediately when exigent circumstances are present, and it can be clearly articulated the safety of the public was in jeopardy.” After Hole was interviewed by the FBI last year, police seized a pump-action shotgun from his home and did not return it.
- This the third high-profile shooting in Indianapolis this year. At least four of the eight victims involved were members of the Sikh community. Gaganpal S. Dhaliwal, a member of the Sikh community, added that victims’ families want to see more “common-sense gun laws” and stricter hate crime policies. “This shooter had a shotgun confiscated, but he was still able to get his hands on rifles,” he stated. “We need to make sure that guns don’t end up in the wrong hands.”
Authorities have not released a motive.
