The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives inspects gun shops around the country for their compliance with federal rules around things like background checks and prohibited purchasers. But when they do fall short of requirements, those shops rarely face severe sanctions. That’s according to a new investigation by USA Today and the Trace.
They found that in many cases when the ATF caught dealers breaking the law, they issued repeated warnings but still allowed the stores to stay open.
Reporters spent more than a year digging into these records, and what they found could have widespread consequences.
The Show spoke with USA Today investigative reporter Nick Penzenstadler to learn more about the situation.
