May 16, 2006 8:26 am US/Eastern
NYC Sues In War On Illegal Guns
NEW YORK (AP) ―
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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (File)
The city of New York has filed suit against 15 out-of-state gun shops it says supply a significant portion of the guns that flow into New York, including some that end up in the hands of criminals.
The lawsuit filed Monday asks the federal court to order supervision and extra training for the dealers in Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. It also seeks some damages and compensation.
"By and large, most gun dealers respect and follow the law, but the small group of dealers that do not should be held accountable," said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who last month hosted a summit of big city mayors for a brainstorming session on ways to combat the sale and proliferation of illegal guns.
The city's law department singled out the 15 gun shops after hiring private investigators who fanned out to dealers in the five states over the past several weeks.
Wearing hidden cameras, the investigators entered stores in teams of two and attempted "straw purchases," in which the buyer completes the paperwork and passes the background check, but later hands over the weapon to someone else who is not allowed to own a firearm.
The scam, prohibited by federal law, is typically used by people who are under 21 or convicted felons. The 15 dealers named in the suit sold guns to the undercover investigators. The city said the sales were refused at about 30 other shops.
The owners of two Georgia gun stores named in the lawsuit denied Monday that they did anything wrong.
Earl Driggers, the owner of A-1 Jewelry and Pawn, said he cooperated with police when they staged a sting at his shop, and believes he has always complied with the law.
"We certainly do everything we can to make sure guns don't leave our store illegally," Driggers said. "I don't know what you're supposed to do. If a guy comes in and meets all the criteria and you comply with the law, I don't know what you do."
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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