By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-attorney-general-garland-speaks-on-efforts-to-curb-gun-trafficking Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Attorney General Garland speaks on efforts to curb gun trafficking Politics Jun 13, 2022 7:26 PM EDT The Justice Department announced on Monday that a man who allegedly purchased 75 guns in just six months from a single federally licensed firearms dealer, is facing federal firearms charges. Watch the briefing in the player above. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Demontre Antwon Hackworth bought at least 92 guns from federally licensed firearms dealers, including 72 from a single dealer. He said that some of the guns were recovered in Texas, Maryland, and Canada from incidents that include homicide, aggravated assault, and drug trafficking. “Almost all of those guns were recovered in the incidents occurring within one year of purchase,” Garland said. “At least one of those guns was recovered by law enforcement seven days, just one week after it was bought.” NEWS WRAP: Thousands attend ‘March for Our Lives’ rallies, demand action on gun control “The investigation indicates that one was recovered following a homicide near Fort Worth, Texas, just 55 days after purchase,” said Chad Meacham, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “Another was used during an assault near Dallas, only 78 days after purchase. Yet a third was left loaded in a vehicle with a young child, just 42 days after purchase,” Meacham said. The Justice Department said that the federally licensed firearms dealer who allegedly sold Hackworth the 72 guns later relinquished the license to sell. Garland used the case to push the Senate toward confirming President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Steve Dettelbach. He also expressed support for the Senate negotiations aimed at producing bipartisan gun violence legislation. “In recent weeks, mass shooting after mass shooting has taken the lives of children in their classrooms, beloved community members doing their grocery shopping and worship worshipers gathering at their church,” he said. “So as our agents and prosecutors work to get crime guns out of our communities, we are also committed to doing everything we can to support the bipartisan gun safety negotiations that are taking place in Congress, as we speak.” By — Associated Press Associated Press
The Justice Department announced on Monday that a man who allegedly purchased 75 guns in just six months from a single federally licensed firearms dealer, is facing federal firearms charges. Watch the briefing in the player above. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Demontre Antwon Hackworth bought at least 92 guns from federally licensed firearms dealers, including 72 from a single dealer. He said that some of the guns were recovered in Texas, Maryland, and Canada from incidents that include homicide, aggravated assault, and drug trafficking. “Almost all of those guns were recovered in the incidents occurring within one year of purchase,” Garland said. “At least one of those guns was recovered by law enforcement seven days, just one week after it was bought.” NEWS WRAP: Thousands attend ‘March for Our Lives’ rallies, demand action on gun control “The investigation indicates that one was recovered following a homicide near Fort Worth, Texas, just 55 days after purchase,” said Chad Meacham, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “Another was used during an assault near Dallas, only 78 days after purchase. Yet a third was left loaded in a vehicle with a young child, just 42 days after purchase,” Meacham said. The Justice Department said that the federally licensed firearms dealer who allegedly sold Hackworth the 72 guns later relinquished the license to sell. Garland used the case to push the Senate toward confirming President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Steve Dettelbach. He also expressed support for the Senate negotiations aimed at producing bipartisan gun violence legislation. “In recent weeks, mass shooting after mass shooting has taken the lives of children in their classrooms, beloved community members doing their grocery shopping and worship worshipers gathering at their church,” he said. “So as our agents and prosecutors work to get crime guns out of our communities, we are also committed to doing everything we can to support the bipartisan gun safety negotiations that are taking place in Congress, as we speak.”