NEW YORK — Five years after a string of attacks on Southern California law enforcement involving silencers, Everytown for Gun Safety released a new fact sheet today that details how the gunman used silencer-equipped firearms to evade law enforcement and carry out a 10-day shooting spree.
In February 2013, a gunman targeted Southern California law enforcement officials and their families during a 10-day shooting spree and relied on silencers to avoid detection by law enforcement officers. Four people, including two police officers, were shot and killed. Silencers gave the gunman a tactical advantage at every stage—from reducing the likelihood that he would be caught at the scene of his first crime to prolonging his final firefight with police ten days later.
And yet five years later, some members of Congress are pushing dangerous legislation that would profit gun and silencer manufacturers by gutting silencer safety laws, and make it easy for anyone to buy a silencer without a background check. The SHARE Act, which includes the so-called “Hearing Protection Act,” would roll back silencer safety laws and make it easy for convicted felons, domestic abusers and people with dangerous mental illnesses to buy silencers without a background check, simply by finding an unlicensed seller. Many of the nation’s top law enforcement organizations oppose this legislation because it would make our communities less safe.
STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:
“Five years ago, our nation saw what can happen when silencers end up in the wrong hands, yet Congress is trying to pass a bill that would roll back gun silencer safety laws and make it easy for people with dangerous histories to buy silencers without a background check. Congress needs to listen to law enforcement officials who say this legislation endangers public safety, and reject this bill for good.”