In an attempt to show how easy it is to buy a modern sporting rifle, Neil Steinberg, of the Chicago Sun-Times, was denied by the store owner’s because “it was uncovered that Mr. Steinberg has an admitted history of alcohol abuse, and a charge for domestic battery involving his wife.”
Mr. Steinburg tried to allege that wasn’t the real reason. According to him it was because, “they knew I planned to immediately sell it back to them.”
He further complains that people who have yet to commit a crime, unlike him, are able to buy guns. “Would-be terrorists can buy guns…But reporters . . . that’s a different story.”
On his Twitter account, he states that domestic battery is a flimsy reason for a gun store to deny a sale.
This is not the first time an attempt to show how easy it is to buy gun has backfired. The Free Beacon reported how a CBS News employee committed a straw purchase, which is a federal crime.
The store, SpecDive Tactical in Alexandria, Virginia, said that when CBS News’ Paula Reid purchased the rifle she told the store’s general manager the gun was for her own use. However, when CBS reported on the story they revealed the gun was purchased for the story and transferred to a third party a few hours later.
The store owner has since filed a report with the Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
