crussmith2
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- Mar 6, 2013
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Police racing to solve the Boston Marathon bombing were prevented from using existing technology to identify the source of the black powder in the explosives that killed three and injured more than 260. Theyve also been unable to trace the gun used to kill a police officer.
In both cases an urgent investigation -- where more lives could have been in danger -- was hindered because of a decades- long campaign by the National Rifle Association and its allies in Congress to prevent the collection of data about guns and ammunition, former law enforcement officials say.
Heeding an NRA argument that such measures are costly and ineffective, Congress has resisted mandating chemical tags in gunpowder, blocked efforts to require microscopic serial numbers in firearms, and banned health authorities from analyzing records on gun injuries. The result, say officials and gun-control advocates, is that crimes go unsolved and the U.S. lacks a true picture of the extent of firearms violence.
Its been this 30-year battle, said Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, a nonprofit group, with the NRA always being on the side about making it harder to get information about guns used in crimes.
Congress Hinders Boston Bomb Inquiry by Blocking Sharing of Data - Bloomberg
In both cases an urgent investigation -- where more lives could have been in danger -- was hindered because of a decades- long campaign by the National Rifle Association and its allies in Congress to prevent the collection of data about guns and ammunition, former law enforcement officials say.
Heeding an NRA argument that such measures are costly and ineffective, Congress has resisted mandating chemical tags in gunpowder, blocked efforts to require microscopic serial numbers in firearms, and banned health authorities from analyzing records on gun injuries. The result, say officials and gun-control advocates, is that crimes go unsolved and the U.S. lacks a true picture of the extent of firearms violence.
Its been this 30-year battle, said Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, a nonprofit group, with the NRA always being on the side about making it harder to get information about guns used in crimes.
Congress Hinders Boston Bomb Inquiry by Blocking Sharing of Data - Bloomberg