In a significant development, three gun shops have been slapped with a joint lawsuit filed by the attorneys general for Maryland and Washington, D.C., after it was revealed that they sold nearly three dozen firearms to an individual involved in illegal weapons trafficking within and around the nation's capital. The lawsuit alleges that at least nine of these firearms have been found at crime scenes or in the possession of individuals with violent offenses warrants, while numerous others remain unaccounted for.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb expressed concern about the influx of illegal weapons in the city, stating, "Our city is being flooded with illegal weapons. All three of these stores ignored the red flags." The lawsuit comes at a time when Washington, D.C. has been grappling with a surge in gun violence, including its highest recorded number of homicides in over three decades, with more than 90% of these incidents involving firearms.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown emphasized the pressing need to address the issue of unauthorized firearms sales, remarking, "Many of us watch the news and wonder where all these guns are coming from. Now we have part of the answer." Notably, data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives indicates that approximately 95% of guns recovered in Washington, D.C., which has stringent gun laws, actually originate from neighboring Maryland or Virginia. This is often due to illegal straw sales, where individuals purchase firearms on behalf of those who are ineligible to possess them.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and legal action to put an end to future straw purchases. This is the first joint lawsuit of its kind and comes amid a wave of civil suits being filed against gun shops in various cities and states across the country, including New Jersey, Minnesota, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Additionally, Kansas City settled a lawsuit last year against a gun dealer accused of ignoring evidence of illegal gun sales.

Larry Keane, senior vice president at the National Shooting Sports Foundation, contested the notion of solely holding retailers accountable for straw purchases, emphasizing that licensed firearm dealers already collaborate with the ATF to identify possible illicit transactions. Keane argued that signs of straw purchasing may not always be apparent in busy stores, where different employees might interact with buyers on different occasions. He cited a 2016 survey by the Justice Department, indicating that a relatively small number of incarcerated individuals obtained firearms from retail sources.

Filed in collaboration with the gun safety group Everytown Law, the newly filed lawsuit accuses the three Maryland-based stores, Engage Armament LLC, Atlantic Guns, Inc., and United Gun Shop, of failing to respond to warning signs such as bulk purchasing and repetitive transactions. While two stores did not comment immediately, United Gun Shop declined to provide a statement.

According to the lawsuit, these three stores collectively sold almost three dozen similar firearms to Demetrius Minor over a seven-month period in 2021. The suit contends that the majority of these weapons were later trafficked to individuals who were legally prohibited from purchasing firearms. Notably, one firearm was discovered in a Washington, D.C. hotel room alongside an illegal large-capacity magazine, while another was found in the home of a suspect accused of stabbing.

Demetrius Minor, the trafficker in question, pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license last year and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. At this time, the attorney who represented Minor could not be reached for comment on the ongoing case.