How was the Northern Illinois University gunman able to buy weapons with a mental-health history?

Question

I've been reading stories the past couple days about Steven Kazmierczak, the former student who purchased guns before killing five people and himself at Northern Illinois University on Thursday. How was this guy able to buy guns legally since he had been on psychiatric medications? Can someone with a psychiatric history purchase weapons as long as they don't have any criminal convictions? Or did this guy lie on his application? The stories I've seen seemed to indicate that he bought the guns legally.

Answer 1

You raised a million dollar question!

Obviously someone is lying!

Answer 2

I was watching ABC news and they said that if his time spent in a mental health facility was over 5 years ago that he could not be prohibited from purchasing a gun under Illinois Law. I know its stupid, but thats what I heard.

Answer 3

He had been institutionalized, but it was not "recent" so it didn't show up.( It was after he graduated high school) 9 yrs ago

I think the medications wouldn't show up because of the confidentiality laws.?

It is a tragedy, I am starting to think that our troops are protecting us from stuff like this, but we are on a path of destroying ourselves like mis-guided people in other countries do "for religion"

Answer 4

The gun dealers are required to run a criminal check but there is no way to track any past (or previous) mental health issues. They could not possibly know their diagnosis, background, therapy involvement or medications. JUST a criminal record is all they have access to and yes, it does prove that MORE is needed for this screening process.

Answer 5

Stronger/stricter gun control is needed. Not banning them.

Answer 6

I don't Know. I was just reading about it also and it states that All four guns were bought legally from a federally licensed firearms dealer, said Thomas Ahern, a spokesman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At least one criminal background check was performed — Kazmierczak had no criminal record.

"Kazmierczak had a State Police-issued FOID, or firearms owners identification card, which is required in Illinois to own a gun, authorities said. Such cards are rarely issued to those with recent mental health problems. "

Baffles me.

Answer 7

There is a federal law that says people with diagnosed mental conditions cannot own firearms, but HIPPA prevents anyone from knowing about your medical history. There is no database with all the names of the mentally ill people in America. All the gun shop can do is ask you if you are mentally ill and all you have to do is say no.