Democrat buys semi-automatic rifle at Virginia gun show in under 10 minutes
A Democrat running for the nomination to challenge Rep. Comstock, R-Va., strolled into a gun show in Chantilly, Virginia, last month and purchased a semi-automatic rifle in about 10 minutes without a background check, according to an undercover video produced by his campaign.
Dan Helmer, an Army veteran, said he bought a firearm similar to the one he carried in Iraq and Afghanistan to show how easy it is to legally obtain an "incredibly dangerous piece of weaponry that's meant for war" from a private seller. He bought the gun less than two miles from a public school, he said.
While background checks are required for purchases at gun shows from federally licensed dealers, Helmer wants to close the so-called "gun show loophole" that allows anyone to buy a weapon from an unlicensed seller without scrutiny.
The video is the latest volley in the six-way Democratic primary in which each candidate is calling for tougher gun laws.
Read more: https://pilotonline.com/news/government/virginia/article_392b4e6e-7cb1-5e82-9483-a7b6eca4ffb4.html