Seth Ator, the alleged gunman in the mass shooting that occurred Saturday in the area between Midland and Odessa, Texas, reportedly purchased his weapon from a private seller, law enforcement officials told NBC News.
Ator, who allegedly went on a shooting rampage after being fired from his job before being shot and killed by police, reportedly failed a gun background check when attempting to purchase a weapon in 2014 because he had a disqualifying mental health issue. Law enforcement is now reportedly investigating the private sale. If it turns out the person was aware of Ator's mental health issue when the weapon — which reportedly may have been a .223 AR-15 style firearm — was sold, the seller could face criminal charges, NBC News reports. But if it's determined the seller was not privy to Ator's previous failed background check, the sale may have been legal, as private sales are not required by law to run background checks.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Climate change is threatening Florida's Key deerThe Explainer Questions remain as to how much effort should be put into saving the animals
-
Daniel Lurie: San Francisco's moderate next mayorIn the Spotlight Lurie beat a fellow Democrat, incumbent Mayor London Breed, for the job
-
TV to watch in November, from 'Dune: Prophecy' and 'A Man on the Inside'The Week Recommends A new comedy from 'The Good Place' creator, a prequel to 'Dune' and the conclusion of one of America's most popular shows
-
Menendez brothers may go free in LA prosecutor planSpeed Read Prosecutors are asking for the brothers to be resentenced for the 1989 murder of their parents
-
Abercrombie ex-CEO charged with sex crimesSpeed Read Mike Jeffries ran the brand during its heyday from 1992 to 2014
-
Trump criminal trial starts with rulings, reminderSpeed Read The first day of his historic trial over hush money payments was mostly focused on jury selection
-
Parents of school shooter sentenced to 10-15 yearsSpeed Read Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents to be convicted in a US mass shooting
-
Unlicensed dealers and black market gunsSpeed Read 68,000 illegally trafficked guns were sold in a five year period, said ATF
-
Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraudSpeed Read Former "crypto king" Sam Bankman-Fried will report to federal prison
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking caseSpeed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
-
'Goon Squad' cops sentenced for torturing 2 Black menSpeed Read The former Mississippi law enforcement officers pleaded guilty last year
