Hundreds of guns from Severn shop end up in criminals' hands
By ERIC HARTLEY, Staff Writer
A Severn gun shop has sold hundreds of guns that ended up in the hands of criminals, a national firearm safety organization said.
On Target Inc. on Route 175 sold 224 guns that were used in crimes between 1996 and 2000, according to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms statistics cited by the organization.
Jim Kessler, policy director of Americans for Gun Safety, said On Target is one of 11 stores in Maryland with a large number of "crime guns" traced back to it.
On Target ranked ninth of the 11 stores in the state, with a Prince George's County store having sold nearly 900 crime guns, Mr. Kessler said.
Mr. Kessler said the 11 are among 120 stores or dealers - out of 80,000 in the United States - that sold about 15 percent of the guns used in crimes nationally.
Clarence Thomas, president of On Target, said his store has a large number of crime gun traces simply because it sells a lot of handguns. He said Americans for Gun Safety's report is misleading and unfair.
"That's like saying that one-third of the people killed by drunken driving were killed by automobiles made by General Motors," Mr. Thomas said. "That may be a true statement, but it's meaningless."
He said he believes On Target has never sold a gun improperly in 25 years in business, and said there is little that dealers can do that isn't done already to prevent guns from getting into criminals' hands.
Stores have no control over guns that are stolen or sold illegally on the street, he said.
Mr. Thomas also questioned the motives of Americans for Gun Safety.
"They have an agenda," he said. "They pretend they are for gun safety when in fact they are for gun abolition."
Mr. Kessler said he was not sure why so many guns from On Target ended up in the wrong hands. But he said many other stores don't aggressively enforce gun laws.
"They ignore obvious sales to people who are traffickers and straw buyers," Mr. Kessler said. "A person will come in and buy 20 handguns. No collector is going to buy 20 of the same gun. ...
"Criminals figure out where they can make a buy."
Mr. Kessler said some gun dealers put profits over public safety.
"Instead of being an ally to law enforcement, they're turning a blind eye," he said. "With some stores, their niche market is criminals."
On Target was sued after an Arnold woman was murdered in 1993 with a gun stolen from the store. The suit was thrown out, with the Court of Appeals ruling a store is not liable for what happens if someone steals guns from it.
Americans for Gun Safety urges the federal government to do more inspections of gun dealers and cite or shut down those in violation.
"I think that for the most part the laws that pertain to gun stores have been enforced so rarely that gun stores are really on the honor system," Mr. Kessler said. "And it's up to each individual store employee and their conscience to decide whether they're going to follow the letter or the spirit of the law."
By ERIC HARTLEY, Staff Writer
A Severn gun shop has sold hundreds of guns that ended up in the hands of criminals, a national firearm safety organization said.
On Target Inc. on Route 175 sold 224 guns that were used in crimes between 1996 and 2000, according to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms statistics cited by the organization.
Jim Kessler, policy director of Americans for Gun Safety, said On Target is one of 11 stores in Maryland with a large number of "crime guns" traced back to it.
On Target ranked ninth of the 11 stores in the state, with a Prince George's County store having sold nearly 900 crime guns, Mr. Kessler said.
Mr. Kessler said the 11 are among 120 stores or dealers - out of 80,000 in the United States - that sold about 15 percent of the guns used in crimes nationally.
Clarence Thomas, president of On Target, said his store has a large number of crime gun traces simply because it sells a lot of handguns. He said Americans for Gun Safety's report is misleading and unfair.
"That's like saying that one-third of the people killed by drunken driving were killed by automobiles made by General Motors," Mr. Thomas said. "That may be a true statement, but it's meaningless."
He said he believes On Target has never sold a gun improperly in 25 years in business, and said there is little that dealers can do that isn't done already to prevent guns from getting into criminals' hands.
Stores have no control over guns that are stolen or sold illegally on the street, he said.
Mr. Thomas also questioned the motives of Americans for Gun Safety.
"They have an agenda," he said. "They pretend they are for gun safety when in fact they are for gun abolition."
Mr. Kessler said he was not sure why so many guns from On Target ended up in the wrong hands. But he said many other stores don't aggressively enforce gun laws.
"They ignore obvious sales to people who are traffickers and straw buyers," Mr. Kessler said. "A person will come in and buy 20 handguns. No collector is going to buy 20 of the same gun. ...
"Criminals figure out where they can make a buy."
Mr. Kessler said some gun dealers put profits over public safety.
"Instead of being an ally to law enforcement, they're turning a blind eye," he said. "With some stores, their niche market is criminals."
On Target was sued after an Arnold woman was murdered in 1993 with a gun stolen from the store. The suit was thrown out, with the Court of Appeals ruling a store is not liable for what happens if someone steals guns from it.
Americans for Gun Safety urges the federal government to do more inspections of gun dealers and cite or shut down those in violation.
"I think that for the most part the laws that pertain to gun stores have been enforced so rarely that gun stores are really on the honor system," Mr. Kessler said. "And it's up to each individual store employee and their conscience to decide whether they're going to follow the letter or the spirit of the law."
