Standard News

Hide Advertisement
  • Business
  • Culture
  • News
  • Technology
  • Trending
Site logo
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
News

U.S. sued over flawed gun background check in Charleston church shooting

By Reuters 2 min read
  • # Updated
Arthur Hurd, husband of Emanuel Church shooting victim Cynthia Hurd, sits beside a portrait of his wife at his home in Charleston, South Carolina

By Harriet McLeod

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) – Family members of the people killed in an attack on a South Carolina church last year have sued the U.S. government over an FBI clerk’s mistake that allowed the purchase of the gun used in the shooting.

Advertisement

Wrongful death lawsuits filed by relatives and survivors of the shooting and reviewed by Reuters allege that at least one of the background check databases maintained by the federal government had information that should have prevented the firearm sale.

“At the end of the day, those who were wrong are accountable,” one of the plaintiffs, Arthur Hurd, said in a telephone interview on Friday. Hurd’s wife, Cynthia, was among nine people killed in the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston in June 2015.

“Our government should stand up and do for the people what is right,” Hurd said.

Dylann Roof, 22, has been charged in state court with murder and attempted murder, while federal prosecutors have charged him with 33 counts including hate crimes, obstruction of religion and firearms offenses.

Federal Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Susan McKee said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

The FBI runs federal background checks for gun dealers in more than 30 states, including South Carolina. If the agency does not report back to the retailer with a yes or no decision in three business days, U.S. law allows a gun to be sold.

FBI Director James Comey has said that Roof was able to buy a gun in April 2015 because of errors in his federal background check.

The examiner who conducted Roof’s check did not see a February 2015 police report in which Roof admitted to unlawful drug possession, which would have barred him from buying the weapon, Comey said last year.

That information did not come to light because Roof’s record listed the wrong arresting agency, federal authorities said.

Lawsuits filed by the shooting victims’ estates on Thursday reject the claim that the FBI did not have access to the arrest report that would have required the gun sale to be denied.

“Federal law precluded the government from allowing the firearm sale,” said lawyer Mullins McLeod, who represents three of the Emanuel victims’ estates. “The victims’ civil suit against the FBI seeks to hold the government accountable to the law and demonstrate it is not above the law.”

(Additional reporting, writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Toni Reinhold and Bernard Orr)

tagreuters.com2016binary_LYNXNPEC6039Z-VIEWIMAGE

tagreuters.com2016binary_LYNXNPEC6039W-VIEWIMAGE

Advertisement - Continue reading below

Workers Sue Over Workplace Discrimination, English-Only Policy
News
Jason Owen 4 min read

Workers Sue Over Workplace Discrimination, English-Only Policy

U.S. drops case against ex-cop arrested outside New York’s Trump Tower
News
Reuters 2 min read

U.S. drops case against ex-cop arrested outside New York’s Trump Tower

Judge dismisses Citizens United challenge to New York donor rules
News
Reuters 2 min read

Judge dismisses Citizens United challenge to New York donor rules

If You See This Happening At Walmart, Run For Your Life
Trending
Danielle 1 min read

If You See This Happening At Walmart, Run For Your Life

N.Y. court tosses Lindsay Lohan’s Grand Theft Auto V lawsuit
Entertainment
Reuters 2 min read

N.Y. court tosses Lindsay Lohan’s Grand Theft Auto V lawsuit

Wall Street scion Caspersen pleads guilty to $38 million fraud
News
Reuters 2 min read

Wall Street scion Caspersen pleads guilty to $38 million fraud

White House back to normal after security lockdown
News
Reuters 1 min read

White House back to normal after security lockdown

Sandusky is innocent, deserves new trial, lawyer says
News
Reuters 2 min read

Sandusky is innocent, deserves new trial, lawyer says

Coroner said death of Baltimore detainee Freddie Gray an accident -witness
News
Reuters 2 min read

Coroner said death of Baltimore detainee Freddie Gray an accident -witness

U.S. judge rejects Uber’s driver expenses settlement
News
Reuters 2 min read

U.S. judge rejects Uber’s driver expenses settlement

load more Loading posts...

sidebar

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

sidebar-alt

  • About Us
  • Imprint
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy