The gun shop where Thomas Matthew Crooks allegedly bought ammunition before his attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump has been found to have sold guns that were later used in other criminal activities.
Letters sent by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) revealed that Allegheny Arms & Gun Works, located in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, sold over 75 guns in the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 that were later found at crime scenes.
On July 13, Crooks, who was 20 years old, fired a rifle from a rooftop at an outdoor campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, was speaking. Crooks was subsequently shot and killed by Secret Service agents.
The shooting resulted in injuries to bystanders, including the death of Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old volunteer fire chief, and the serious injury of David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74.
Crooks had purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from Allegheny Arms & Gun Works earlier on the day of the shooting, as reported by CNN, citing a senior law enforcement official.
The store owner neither confirmed nor denied Crooks’ purchase, and it is uncertain if the ammunition was used in the attack.
The ATF sends DL2s to gun dealers who have sold 25 or more firearms that were later traced to crime scenes within a short period.
The “time-to-crime” is the duration it takes for a gun to be used in a crime after purchase, averaging around 10 years.
Dealers receiving these letters must provide detailed information about the guns they sell to the ATF.
In one letter to Allegheny Arms, ATF requested continued cooperation due to firearms sold in 2021 being used in crimes shortly after purchase.
The store owner, Bruce Piendl, stated that they would assist law enforcement and expressed sympathy for the victims.
The store faced sanctions for selling firearms to individuals with criminal records, incomplete mandatory inventories, and improper disclosure of multiple handgun sales to the same person.
The ATF’s investigation confirmed that the store did not negligently sell to prohibited buyers and did not pose a significant public safety threat.
There is no indication that the store violated rules by selling ammunition to Crooks.
The ATF has monitored federal firearms licensees for compliance with laws since the Gun Control Act of 1968.