The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives no longer routinely checks addresses of some buyers at gun shows after being accused of chilling sales at a show in 2005, says a Justice Department’s Inspector General report quoted by the Associated Press. The so-called blanket residency checks sought to verify addresses for gun show buyers living in certain targeted areas.
ATF abandoned the checks five months after dealers at an August 2005 gun show in Richmond said sales plummeted because buyers were intimidated by police showing up at their homes – sparking congressional criticism. The report found the residency checks were part of ATF investigations at 195 gun shows nationwide that netted 121 arrests between 2004 and 2006.
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