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Where'd They Get Their Guns?

An Analysis of the Firearms Used in High-Profile Shootings, 1963 to 2001

Date: October 29, 1994

Location: The White House, Washington, DC

Alleged Shooter: Francisco Martin Duran

People Killed: None

People Injured: None

Firearm(s): Norinco SKS 7.62mm assault rifle


Circumstances

Duran, a convicted felon, fired 20 to 30 rounds from a Chinese-made assault rifle at the White House before being apprehended. He had also reportedly made threatening phone calls to Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell's office because of his vote in support of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which banned specific models of assault weapons.


How Firearm(s) Acquired

The firearm was purchased illegally from High Country Wholesale Firearms in Colorado Springs on September 13, 1994, the day the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was signed into law. On September 30, 1994, a background check turned up his past conviction and prevented him from buying a handgun, but there was no check required for the rifle purchase.

 
  1. "Gun Sale Was Foiled Before Shooting at White House," Los Angeles Times, 11 November 1994, sec. A, p. 29.
  2. Frank J. Murray, "Assassination Attempt Not Ruled Out in Probe; Capital Charge Could Be Filed," The Washington Times, 31 October 1994, sec. A, p. 1.
  3. U.S. Newswire, "Transcript of Oct. 30 Press Briefing by Myers, Noble, Griffin," 31 October 1994.
  4. "Buying Assault Weapon Was Easy, Thanks, in Part, to the Gun Lobby," Omaha World Herald, 4 November 1994, p. 24.


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 All contents � 2001 Violence Policy Center

 


The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational foundation that conducts research on violence in America and works to develop violence-reduction policies and proposals. The Center examines the role of firearms in America, conducts research on firearms violence, and explores new ways to decrease firearm-related death and injury.