Firearms Law Enforcement

Violating one right always leads to violating other rights. The history of enforcing gun control laws is very bloody.

June 7, 1971: ATF shoots collector

ATF agents, acting on a faulty tip, break into an military collector's home and shoot him.

October 1980: Congress condemns ATF abuses

Congressional subcommittees finds ATF actions "constitutionally, legally and practically reprehensible." (And that's before all the other incidents listed below.)

January 1991(?): ATF harasses store owner

When a sporting goods store owner refuses a warrantless search, the ATF revokes his Federal Firearms License and threatens him with jail.

September 1991: Feds terrorize family

Based on an unreliable informant's tip, the ATF and other federal agencies terrorize a family with a military-style attack on their home.

December 1991: ATF wrecks Tulsa home

ATF serves search warrant by demolishing house, leaves note: "Nothing Found -- ATF."

April 1992: ATF leaves baby in bathtub

ATF serves search warrant while woman is bathing baby, interrogates woman for several hours leaving baby unattended.

August 1992: ATF assault at Ruby Ridge

ATF entraps man into selling shotgun, then tries to blackmail him into becoming a ATF spy. After he refuses, ATF seiges his home, first killing his dog, then his son, then his wife.

February 1993: ATF terrorizes wrong victim

ATF demolishes woman's home, terrorizing her and her daughter, before realizing they have the wrong person.

February - April 1993: ATF massacre at Waco

ATF breaks into religious living quarters murdering several people. After being repulsed, ATF joins with FBI to siege the group, ultimately burning more than eighty men, women and children to death, then destroying evidence of their crimes.

January 1994: Groups criticize federal police

The ACLU, NRA and other organizations call for a national commission to investigate abuses by federal law enforcement officers and recommend limits on federal police powers.

April 1994: ATF attacks Ohio man

ATF raids home of gun collector for supposedly falsifying forms. Agent roughs up three-month pregnant wife, who has miscarriage. Judge throws trumped-up charges out of court.

May 1994: ATF attacks the Lamplughs

ATF breaks into gun show organizer's home and terrorizes couple while searching for non-existent "machine gun." Agents kill three pet cats.

July 1994: ATF attacks St. Louis woman

ATF, searching for non-existent guns and non-existent drugs, breaks into Monique Montgomery's home and shoots her.

January 1995: NRA criticizes ATF

The NRA, once again, calls for a national commission to investigate ATF abuses.

March 1995: Ohio police assault eccentric gun owner

For the politically incorrect act of carrying a gun at home, police kick in the door of disabled veteran John Lekan. Lekan defends himself, shooting a police officer. After three days of siege, the bodies of Lekan and his son are removed from the remains of his house.

March 1995: ATF faces discrimination suit

Black agents claim institutional racism pervades the ATF.

April 1995: ATF loses guns

Although quick to respond to private citizens supposedly keeping bad records, the ATF merely erased all record of more than a hundred guns not found in one of their own inventories.

May 1995: NRA criticizes federal police again

Criticized for calling federal police "jackbooted government thugs," the NRA responds with evidence supporting their claim.

June 1995: ATF sieges empty house

Unaware their intended victim left through the back door, the ATF conducts a twelve-hour military-style siege of an empty house.

July 1995: Congress investigates jackbooted thugs

Faced with mounting evidence of federal police abuse, Congress schedules hearings to answer the public's questions.

July 1995: ATF gets military aircraft

ATF acquires 300mph-aircraft with Sidewinder missiles, 500-round machine guns and cluster bombs.

July 1995: Racist ATF summer camp exposed

A "police officers' gathering" organized by ATF agents sported racist T-shirts and posters, and may have involved drug use and sexual assault.

March 1997: ATF fishes at religious community

ATF raids a small religous community in Montana, looking for explosives, wrecking the place as usual, and not finding anything.