Gunman's Background Check Came Back Clean

Gun Shop Owner Who Sold Cho Handgun Describes Transaction

(CBS)  When you see a powerful 9mm semi-automatic pistol in action, you begin to understand how one man could kill so many innocent people in a short time.

Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports news that a weapon like this was used in the Virginia Tech rampage comes as no surprise to Armando Fontoura, sheriff of Essex County, N.J. "When you go into a classroom, how many kids that were there, this is like shooting fish in a barrel. They are there and they are at your mercy," Sheriff Fontoura explains.

A Glock 19 is easily obtained in states like Virginia, where Cho Seung-Hui purchased one last month. "We turn down gun sales every day literally, there are so many sales we turn down to air on the side of caution, but this just looked like a clean cut young man," gun shop owner John Markell says.

Markell owns Roanoke Firearms, a shop a little over 30 miles from the Virginia Tech campus. "He was not nervous at all in purchasing the gun. He had knowledge of the gun, just a typical sale, nothing out of the ordinary," Markell remembers of his interaction with the shooter.

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Click here for an interactive gallery of the victims.

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After showing a government issued photo ID – his green card – and a driver's license to prove his Virginia residency, Cho Seung-Hui charged $571 on a credit card and walked out of Roanoke Firearms with a new 9 mm Glock 19 and 50 rounds of ammunition.

"If we see a resident alien with a credit card, it's usually a good indication that they're a good upstanding citizen, not someone who would go on a shooting spree," Markell says.

And Markell says an instant background check showed nothing. "It went straight through. We did the state police check with federal computers. It came back clean. No drug convictions, no felonies, domestic violence," he explains.

The 9mm, says Sheriff Fontoura, is easily concealed and easy to use and most young men are familiar with one. "Have you been to the movies lately? When you see the gunfire, most likely the weapon is a 9mm," he explains.

Movies like the Matrix are just one example; the 9mm also has a starring role in video games and music. "It’s a sexy weapon," Fontoura says. "It just looks good. And our young people are enjoying that and learning from that."

It may help to explain why so many mass shootings involve a 9mm weapon —both of the Columbine shooters were armed with one.

But it’s not just the gun that can turn a shooter into a mass killer. It's also the size of the magazine or clip that contains the ammunition that allows a shooter to fire several rounds without having to reload.

"Now when the clip comes in, you just kick it out, grab another one, kick it in and your are ready to go again," the sheriff explains.

Asked how long it takes to reload, Fontoura says, "If you are really go at it, you can do it in a matter of seconds."

Cho was able to fire 15 rounds at a time, one by one, before he would stop and reload. He was also armed with .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun that shoots 10 rounds at a time.

"Obviously he had plenty of practice because he would have had to change magazines quite frequently," says Markell. "He must have had a least half a dozen magazines with him."

The death of 32 people yesterday is sure to re-ignite an old debate.

"I see no reason to blame the gun," Markell argues. "The fault goes squarely on Mr. Cho. No one else. Nothing else. If he didn’t have that Glock he would have done it with something else."

"These are instruments of death…that’s what they are. Guns are instruments of death. They’re not for any other purpose," Fontoura says. "And we need to remember that."

[booyaw_77]

Save'n it up, save'n it up.. Thats why I like criminals. They're honest.

[tideluxe]

I can't handle listening to one more person blame any of this on poor gun control laws or guns in general. This nation has strict enough controls in place as is. Look at the statistics and it is obvious that violent crimes and mass murders are prominent in unarmed gun free zones.

This nation was built upon the right to bear arms. And I'm sick of the liberal agenda to alter and change the constitution for their own personal gain and benefit.

The truth is this. Had a student or faculty member been carrying a weapon. The fatalities would have been less. One person with a gun, training and resolve to engage could have made this event way smaller on the tragedy scale. Look at what happened in Salt Lake City. Who's to say how many people would have been killed if the off duty police officer wouldn't have had is concealed weapon on him.

Shame on all of you who believe America should be a gun free zone. Why don't you move out!!

[tideluxe]

I can't handle listening to one more person blame any of this on poor gun control laws or guns in general. This nation has strict enough controls in place as is. Look at the statistics and it is obvious that violent crimes and mass murders are prominent in unarmed gun free zones.

This nation was built upon the right to bear arms. And I'm sick of the liberal agenda to alter and change the constitution for their own personal gain and benefit.

The truth is this. Had a student or faculty member been carrying a weapon. The fatalities would have been less. One person with a gun, training and resolve to engage could have made this event way smaller on the tragedy scale. Look at what happened in Salt Lake City. Who's to say how many people would have been killed if the off duty police officer wouldn't have had is concealed weapon on him.

Shame on all of you who believe America should be a gun free zone. Why don't you move out!!

[dakotaranger-2009]

MCVet, we also have people driving without licences and insurance. A car, a spoon, a rock and any other object can be used as a weapon.

The reason I do what I do is garbage like this. I avoid criminals/and crazy people free-fire zone, for instance.

[pakaal]

BigCanoe2 wrote: "Somebopdy explain this outlaw all guns business, especially in view of the fact that we KNOW outlaws are going to get them and use them regardless of the law."

Knowing America and Americans, the other end of the argument - putting guns in the hands of every American - is just as ludicrous as banning all guns. I have plenty of friends who own handguns who I trust implicitly with them, but putting guns in the hands of every American is guaranteed to raise violence way, way beyond what we have now. Just look at some of the comments on these boards if you doubt it. You want to put more guns out there into the hands of people like elgraz? Good luck with that.

[pakaal]

BigCanoe2 wrote: "Form 4473... asks whether you have been in a mental inistution. If you answer yes, you are denied a firearm purchase. If this gunman answered NO,and he did, he committed a federal felony at that very instant."

You're saying that the "background check" we keep hearing about is information provided by the person him/herself?! That's insane. It's pretty obvious we need something more substantial than a checkbox and answer provided by the potential purchaser him or herself. In fact if what you're saying is true, the background check is more of a joke than anything else.

"The Federal Law says that a patients medical information is PRIVATE"

We seem to have no problem with putting up websites showing *** offender information....

And it's funny how the government seems to have no problem waiving that privacy issue and putting out warrantless eavesdropping orders when they're talking about vague issues like "Terrorism".

[jfinster10]

...Only in America. Let's continue to welcome these aliens into our USA so that they can destroy us all..........

Posted by elgraz at 05:50 PM : Apr 18, 2007

The only people who would destroy the USA is racist punks like you and all the blond blue-eyed Timothy McVeighs in this country.

[bigcanoe2]

Listen up people!!! The Federal Law says that a patients medical information is PRIVATE and anyone who accesses it without the patient or the patients guardian giving them writen permision, is comitting a federal crime. You CAN NOT get information about anyone having been in a mental inistution and if you do, you have committed a crime. WHERE have you people been? Why don't you know these things? Or better yet, why doesn't CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, PBS TELL you these things instad of saying mental incompetents should not be allowed to buy guns?

Here's news, THEY ARE BARRED FROM BUYING GUNS, but ONLY of if they tell you that they have mental problems. Otherwise you are PROHIBITED from knowing that information by federal law because of PRIVACY.

So all of you wanting to dam the firearms dealer for selling this mental case a gun need to ask your senators and congressmen and women why they outlawed gun dealers from knowing this information. THEY made the law. The gun dealer did not.

[bigcanoe2]

Form 4473 (the Federal form you must fill out before buying a firearm and submit photo ID)
asks whether you have been in a mental inistution. If you answer yes, you are denied a firearm purchase. If this gunman answered NO,and he did, he committed a federal felony at that very instant.

What all of this says is that anyone intent on violating the law about killing people, will also violate firearms laws, and he did. But if you are giing to kill someone, which the last time I looked was also illegal, what makes anyone think that because guns are outlawed that he would obey that law? You can not outlaw guns to outlaws because by their very definition, outlaws do not obey the law.

Only law abiding people obey the law and when the outlaws have guns and they don't, guess what the outcome is going to be? Is anyone surprised by this and if so, what rock have you been living under?

The world is a dangerous place. It has always been and it will always be because there have always been outlaws and there always will be. Sam Colt made it easy for you to defend yourself. Why in the world would anyone want to outlaw his own personal defense? I don't get it? Somebopdy explain this outlaw all guns business, especially in view of the fact that we KNOW outlaws are going to get them and use them regardless of the law.

[pakaal]

My question is how a young adult certified by a psych evaluation at a hospital as "a danger to himself or others" does not get flagged on a background check for a gun permit?

It seems like anyone would agree the current laws regarding weapon registration don't seem quite thorough enough.

[plainjean]

Seems to me I remember a Amish community in Pennsylvania that was recently victimized by a psychopatic killer with a gun. And the Amish response: they did not run out to their local gunshop and arm themselves; instead, they quietly preached forgiveness and went about their lives as if nothing had happened. How many people in America say they are Christian and believe in God, yet when it comes to having faith that their powerful, all-knowing God will protect them from evil they turn to the gun when their faith is tested.

And we know how the National Rifle Association is going to respond to the Virginia Tech tragedy: GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE AND STIFFER LAWS ARE NEEDED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT.
That's a tough act with Cho Seung-Hui the shooter a suicide which is what often happens in these cases. Cho would have had little luck if he had been armed with, a screw driver, a can opener, or a cork-screw.

What ever happened to the Brady Bill and the ban on assault weapons? A SEVEN DAY WAITING PERIOD ISN'T TOO MUCH TO ASK A LAW ABIDDING CITIZEN TO WAIT TO PURCHASE A HANDGUN. Somehow I can't help believing 32 innocent Virginians would be alive today were it not for a group of insecure people who ignored what the Brady Bill, in this case, should have prevented. Remember those Pennsyvania Amish victims? "OH YE OF LITTLE FAITH!"

[steveger3]

All you gun nuts out there need to send more money to the NRA. All you nice gun control folks don't need to send any more money to the Brady people as CBS has taken over the job.

[quityercryin]

..."Tell me how you are going to mass murder any amount of people by say 100 yards with a knife pitchfork or a rope...."

Hey wasnt that done with fertilizer...let's do background checks for fertilizer purchases, yea! that works!

When a drunk driver kills someone, do they go looking for the owner of the liquor store to interview them and see if the drunk driver looked "nervous" when he/she was purchasing the alcohol??
Gimme a break, puleezzeee...

[steveger3]

I love it! It's the NRA's fault. It's the gun lovers fault. Ahh let's see. The guy's on meds.Teacher bans him from her class because he's nuts and she's afraid of him. He's getting his meds from some doctor. I guess I don't understand why he wasen't reported to the law as a danger. Oh I forgot. We might violate his rights. Yes, I agree we need more gun control laws. 26,000 aren't enough. We need more. Many more.OR we could just put the crook in jail for life. Use a gun, you don't get past go. BUT we have these liberal judges, social workers and lawyers that pat them on the but and send them back on the street.

[quityercryin]

..."Tell me how you are going to mass murder any amount of people by say 100 yards with a knife pitchfork or a rope...."

Hey wasnt that done with fertilizer...let's do background checks for fertilizer purchases, yea! that works!

When a drunk driver kills someone, do they go looking for the owner of the liquor store to interview them and see if the drunk driver looked "nervous" when he/she was purchasing the alcohol??
Gimme a break, puleezzeee...

[quityercryin]

..."Tell me how you are going to mass murder any amount of people by say 100 yards with a knife pitchfork or a rope...."

Hey wasnt that done with fertilizer...let's do background checks for fertilizer purchases, yea! that works!

When a drunk driver kills someone, do they go looking for the owner of the liquor store to interview them and see if the drunk driver looked "nervous" when he/she was purchasing the alcohol??
Gimme a break, puleezzeee...

[jjreding-2009]

If this animal had 2 previous stalking incidents AND had been in a mental health care centre, I wonder how that information didn't make it in. I think that the background check information needs to be much more thorough. But the NRA is against that. It's time for the gun control laws to be given teeth.

[stevex47]

blazercoach1,
"It depends on your aim and intent."

Tell me how you are going to mass murder any amount of people by say 100 yards with a knife pitchfork or a rope.

[stevex47]

His mental health history didn't set off any alarms in the gun purchase?

[bizzzz-2009]

The whole "no one is to blame" mentality is a symptom of a society's fear of hurting someone's feelings when they confront them on the fact they blew it.
People in this country hate confrontation. Some people might say "there was no way we could have predicted or prevented this from happening..."
REALLY? 33 people dead at the hands of one person...over the span of several hours...with shootings hours apart from each other? I find that hard believe.
I see Charles Steger, the President of Virgina Tech, got a standing ovation yesterday. Why? I don't think anyone should get a standing ovation before an investigation in complete.
You watch, more standing ovations will be given, time will pass, and nothing will be done about it. Just like the levees in New Orleans, waiting for another hurricane.