Aurora Gunman 'Not Supposed To Possess A Firearm:' Cops

AURORA, IL -- The suspected gunman in Friday's deadly shooting in Aurora was "not supposed to possess a firearm," according to Aurora's Police Chief Kristin Ziman. Police are investigating why the shooter, Gary Martin, 45, who had a revoked Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) Card due to a 1995 felony aggravated assault conviction in Mississippi, still had the .40-caliber Smith and Wesson he used to open fire at Henry Pratt Manufacturing.

Ziman said Martin, an employee at Henry Pratt Manufacturing, was issued an FOID card in January, 2014, and purchased the handgun he used in the shooting from an Aurora gun dealer on March 11, 2014. Ziman said Martin's aggravated assault conviction "would not necessarily have shown up on a criminal background check conducted for a FOID card."

"You don't need fingerprints to purchase a firearm," Ziman said.

The conviction did show up when Martin applied for a concealed carry permit on March, 16, 2014, and a fingerprinting and criminal background check were conducted, Ziman said. She said it was not clear where Martin applied for the concealed carry permit.

Ziman said Illinois State Police revoked Martin's FOID card after the 1995 felony conviction was discovered. His concealed carry permit application was rejected as a result. She said gun owners whose FOID cards are revoked are issued a letter by Illinois State Police informing them that they must "voluntarily relinquish" their firearms.

She said that since Martin lived in Aurora at the time his FOID card was revoked, he would have relinquished his guns to the Aurora Police Department. Ziman added that the police department is investigating whether or not law enforcement followed up after Martin did not relinquish his weapon.

"No fingerprint is required." "You don't need fingerprints to purchase a firearm."

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Martin also had six prior arrests by the Aurora Police Department that included domestic violence arrests. He was last arrested in Aurora in 2008 for violating an order of protection.

Police say there were "several spent magazines" at the scene of the shooting, where Martin had opened fire during a meeting discussing his termination from the company.

Image via Aurora Police Department