Photo: St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
Authorities said that the 19-year-old gunman who killed two people and injured several others in a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School and Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience in St. Louis was blocked from purchasing a rifle after he was flagged during an FBI background check.
Orlando Harris tried to purchase a gun from a federally licensed dealer on October 8 but was turned away. He then went to a private seller and was able to buy the gun he used to commit the mass shooting.
The St. Louis Police Department did not identify the person who sold him the gun but did say they bought it legally in 2020. It is unclear if that person knew Harris was barred from owning a gun or if they would face criminal charges.
After Harris obtained the gun, his family tried to have it taken away. On October 15, his mother called the police and asked them to confiscate the weapon. Missouri does not have a "red flag" law, and officers have no cause to take possession of the gun. Instead, a third party came and took the rifle to another location. Police are still investigating how Harris managed to retrieve the weapon.