Former Representative Gabrielle Giffords’ husband Mark Kelly recently announced his intention to purchase several weapons to demonstrate how easy it is to complete a background check. He also announced that after completing his purchase he would turn the weapons over to local authorities. And upon hearing of this, the store owner who was selling the weapons to Kelly canceled his purchase and issued a statement.
While I support and respect Mark Kelly’s 2nd Amendment rights to purchase, possess, and use firearms in a safe and responsible manner, his recent statements to the media made it clear that his intent in purchasing the Sig Sauer M400 5.56mm rifle from us was for reasons other then for his personal use. In light of this fact, I determined that it was in my company’s best interest to terminate this transaction prior to his returning to my store to complete the Federal From 4473 and NICS background check required of Mr. Kelly before he could take possession this firearm. A full refund was sent to Mr. Kelly, via express mail, on Thursday of last week.
The Sig Sauer rifle will be donated to the Arizona Tactical Officers Association where it will be raffled off to generate funds the association can use to purchase much needed tactical equipment for the organization’s members. The A.T.O. A. represents the SWAT and Special Response officers of the state’s law enforcement community who regularly place their lives on the line to protect the residents of this state.
Additionally, Diamondback Police Supply will make a $1295.00 contribution (the selling price of the M400 rifle) to the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program that teaches children, in pre-K through 3rd grade, four important steps to take if they find a gun. The emphasis of the program is on child safety, something that is important to all of us and at the core of the current debate on gun control,” stated Douglas MacKinlay, Owner/President, Diamondback Police Supply Co., Inc.
If Kelly had been planning to use the weapons to shoot another human being or an animal that would have been acceptable, but turning the weapons over to authorities after legally and fairly purchasing them clearly is not. And in a purely dickish move — the store owner will turn the weapon over to authorities himself to prevent Kelly from using it to make a statement.
Business must be very good indeed if you can afford to cancel the purchase of someone who was on the verge of paying you over a thousand dollars because they were planning to do something noble with it. Of course considering the deranged gun culture we live in, allowing Kelly to go through with the purchase also could have been bad for business.
(h/t Thomas Soldan)