The system worked thanks to common sense

[williepete]

As the reporter states, a tragedy was averted thanks to a gun store owner who put safety before profit.

As good news as this is, it does point out that certain mental illness treatments don't find their way to background checks due to medical privacy laws. Makes this gun store owner all the more a hero.

‘Bad feeling’ stops owner from selling gun to former OU student wanted in campus attack

The Hocking County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a Logan gun store owner Monday afternoon about a man acting strange and trying to buy a gun from his store, Downs Bait and Guns.

John Downs says he talks to everyone who comes into his store, especially customers who stand out.

"The look on his face, his eyes. I just knew something was wrong,” Downs said.

Downs says Howard walked into his Logan gun shop Monday afternoon looking to buy a rifle.

Howard passed a background check, but after talking to him some more the store owner had a bad feeling.

"I said ‘I can't sell you the gun. I said I got a bad feeling about this, and I'm not going to sell it to you,’” Downs said.

Downs said the 25 year old became angry and left the store. That’s when Downs called police.

"I did what I did and I'm glad I did it,” Downs said.

Video and story:
‘Bad feeling’ stops owner from selling gun to former OU student wanted in campus attack

 

[Pogo]

How is that "the system" working ---- and not that particular person's perceptive abilities?

What happens within "the system" when the same kid goes to another salesman who's not so perceptive (or just doesn't care, because a sale is a sale)?

 

[williepete]

The gun store owner is an integral part of the system as this case shows. So are gun range safety officers. I've seen several situations over the years where people have been ejected from a range for unsuitable behavior.

I take your meaning though. Far too often the people in the system fail. Mental illness treatment needs to somehow get into the instant background check. This would arm the gun store owners with the information they need to do their job better.

 

[2aguy]

How is that "the system" working ---- and not that particular person's perceptive abilities?

What happens within "the system" when the same kid goes to another salesman who's not so perceptive (or just doesn't care, because a sale is a sale)?

The kid had been involuntarily committed........so much for background checks....

 

[2aguy]

The gun store owner is an integral part of the system as this case shows. So are gun range safety officers. I've seen several situations over the years where people have been ejected from a range for unsuitable behavior.

I take your meaning though. Far too often the people in the system fail. Mental illness treatment needs to somehow get into the instant background check. This would arm the gun store owners with the information they need to do their job better.

Yes...it should....but because of anti gun nuts it becomes harder to do this. They will exploit any good faith effort to keep the dangerously mentally ill away from guns to keep people with insomnia, and other non dangerous issues from being able to buy, own or carry guns.....

We can't trust them to not use the mental health background check information as a way to deny normal people their rights.....