From the New York Times are Michael Verbal today. The eight fifteen rifle used in the floor Shooting was legally purchased by the teenage gun did: a semi automatic weapons, Jeanne only designed for american troops to kill enemy fighters become easier to buy than a handgun. It's Friday. The new research teams are you, nickel is Jacob, proves Israel. Ok, sir, you are charged with seventeen counts, premeditated murder state. How would you like to proceed today? States relying on the sworn affidavit that the

It has been provided as to the seventeen counts of first degree, murder and the current sworn up David by detective, citing the actions of the defendant and going to Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School on February, Fourteenth two thousand eight eighteen with a premeditated design in that he went loaded with an Europe fifteen rifle. Please you did this gun the air fifteen? Will you come from? Well, it has a complicated history that reaches back to cold war, arms design. Christians is an investigative rapporteur for the times in the nineteen fiftys. The United States had selected another rifle for its armed forces to use a standard weapon called the M fourteen

fourthly, about eleven ground when combat loaded firing of seven point, six to millimeter NATO cartridge easily converted to automatic fire, But a company called arm alight in southern California designed a competitor weapon, a prototype call d, our ten it didn't do well. The army wasn't pleased with it, but General asked the designer Eugene Stoner to make us version, and he did is called the eight hour. Fifteen click on the target performance means a maximum effect.

As for any initial expanded and inspires complete confidence on the part of the combat like woman and it's worth noting that the eight hour fifteen was at first failure, it didn't really have any customers the break. Our really came in nineteen sixty two american shoulder hiking their way through the sweaty jungle. Sharply Edna. Vietnam was just really starting to heat up Oh God, one zero zero metres wiping out. Yet you prepare. I give it to cover the Americans precisely found themselves out. Gun again began to divide up. Remember it is not the bleeding factor of defence. At the time, Robert Mcnamara became

needed by a study he'd seen of the air fifteenth and he prodded the army and eventually the Marines to adopt the weapon as the standard weapon for american ground, for Vietnam on your rifle has been issued. A special forces born on air mobile troops of the army and other military forces of the United States when it was mass produced for the military, the name became the sixteen. This do rifle is designated the genie while the m16 was forced to be sexually. The Americans match for the eighteen, forty seven, which would be distributed by its communist producers into the Americans. Opponents in Vietnam, That was the moment when I would say for infantry, combat everything changed. It became in a very short order, a less than five years, the standard weapon used by soldiers and Marines in the United States military and from that point forward, in almost every war, both sides have had assault rifles,

So this is a big moment not just in Vietnam. It sounds like, but cut in history of weapons. Suddenly everyone is going to be using this kind of style, a salary, for there was watershed. Yes, so after the Vietnam WAR, what happens to this gun so the fully the magic weapons that were in the military remained in the military and the eight hour fifteen, which was the name assigned to the civilian semi automatic versions, was offered to civilian purchasers right after the war during the war. Ok, during the work, but I would say in the early years they weren't especially significant or popular, and that possibly because people at that time just thought walled, that's a gun used in war. So why would I have it in my home that may be part of it? It also hadn't been a central part of the american military experience, yet in it it just wasn't, and I used to go to guns stores in the eighties

I was in the military in there just more that many of them for sale, but during end right after the Vietnam WAR, you could. Theoretically, walking, who can store and by you could buy a semi. Had a gay or fifteen back in that time. But I would argue that not too many people did so in the nineteen seventies and then eighteen eighties, these weapons, the air fifteen, were available for civilian purchase, but the sails were rather modest. They didn't the public consciousness and the people who bought them largely reviewing them legally. But what happened was after a series of mass shootings with weapons, The became known as the sole weapons in the popular discourse eleven of the injured students from yesterday's deadly shooting rampage start an elementary school are still in hospitals that I find innocent children working

buying. So one of the first time we heard the horror of last week's massacre, wrinkling Texas, twenty two with a twenty three victims, were shot to die was the worst smash shooting destination system I was told that x, washed victims from one or one California street. This was applause, a full of murder that cost the attention of Congress led over a few years of debate to the sole weapons band of ninety. Ninety four, I mean I have heard people with my face and well. There are some I'd also like to go target practice. With these things will I need to read a good book Congress Ban risk of weapons that are considered to be too dangerous for the public.

Old and among the items on that list was the our fifteen and the eight fifteen became unobtainable for most of the public for a period of ten years and its during that time, I would say when its popularity took off once it was taken away. People seem to really wanted to gave it a coveted stat he. So it was the ban of the gun, its sudden absence. Even I wasn't all that popular. It was the vanishing of it by Congress that it seems that helps lead to its popularity. It certainly was factor. It gave it a market demand, a desire for the weapon for the thing that couldn't be had unless the law is renewed after ten years it dies that, as it turns out, is due to happen five days from

and there doesn't appear to be a snowballs chance in hell that it will be when you in two thousand for the ban, expired, wasn't re authorized by Congress and these weapons became available for public sale. Again, there were no arms twisted very little floor debate was held yet somehow a law that our recent survey showed was supported. Sixty eight percent of Americans is just fading away. There is a large amount of advocacy to have the ban expire to sunset, mostly by advocates of gunners almost entirely. What happened why thinking and are a once again showed its various strong political muscle, Chris Cocksure, the inner re. Why should the assault weapons ban come to an end or rob? It's been a failed experiment, a failed policy. This laws had ten years to produce a positive result and, according to every legitimate law enforcement study its

Nothing to reduce crime and when this ban answer what happens to this particular gonna, we ve been talking about the air fifteen, all of a sudden people reft out to buy them and they bought them with an eye to the legislatures. Thinking that it would be banned again so that the window to purchase and on one of these weapons might be fairly small, then they were purchased by a whole cross section of people, many of them veterans, many of them law abiding, many of them who intended to use them for legal use for target shooting and perhaps for hunting, but the weapon as it was marketed ahead. This cross over moment where you go into a gun stores and suddenly it filled shelves filled racks wherein there had not been any of them for ten years and before that they were relatively unusual and I think for a lot of people,

they own guns or not. It's hard to imagine what the purpose of a semi automatic gun like this would have for civilians who, as you're saying, are starting to buy it and pretty large numbers and how it would be used other than for committing something like a mass shooting given with his gun, is capable of so what a most civilians who by this gun, use it for. Should there be a lot of reasons for that? Some of it. If a weapon that many veteran for many shooters enjoy using on the target ranges and sometimes for hunting, is bought and marketed for home defence, and I

no a number of people who own on some of them on them just on them. They on them, because they, Canada in ideological, stand to have any our fifteen and what is the ideological stand there supporting in exercising their second amendment constitutional rights, and they argue that it's important to do that. So how does the debate around this type of gun change as the gun becomes much more popular after two thousand and four, when this ban expires or does the debate not really change much, it does and it doesn't. If you go back to two thousand, for you won't be able to find people who were opposed to the civilian ownership of the air. Fifteen being able to point to a large number of spectacular shooting, that's changed. The air fifteen now has been used in one grievous crime

Or another, and so little discussion around the weapon now is informed by these horrible crimes in which its been used very we're. Just you warning us two young men, apparently dressed in long black tranche codes, open fire and we do have the breaking news of a shooting at elementary School new town. Creating a thousand people were in the morning when the shooting begin Lando a massacre. The gay, like the gun, caused in the new, tell me all right, the gunman maybe arnwood than our fifteen. That's a military style song weapon slated inside the theatre with me or fifteen, like this aspect, start shooting them when they arrived within the air.

Our team they aren t within a yard. Fifty fifty fifty fifty fifty used to you than our fifteen Saddam. I thought it tonight. You remove lady test coming another deadly school shooting rampage harshly Florida at least seventeen dead, the government in custody. Let's go back Davies Inspectorate, cabins live at the scene and victory of new information about the weapon tonight viktor. You have information about the weapon tonight data. Now, learning it wasn't our fifteen while others are not. As these mass shootings have stepped up for a lack of a better word as access to this weapon changed at all. I would think not, I would argue, access has gotten easier because after these

crimes more people rush out and buy them, and if I go into the gun shop here on main street in my town, then I'll after we get off the phone, I'm sure I can find a the stick. Rack full of so, whether it's you or me or anyone right now, who wants to buy an AR fifteen, how hard is it to actually do that? Well, I don't have a criminal record, so we wouldn't be especially hard to have to fill out some papers and a waste of the background check, and I could go back after a brief waiting and pick the weapon up the Chris. Thank you very much. Thank you for having me Michael When we consider how a treaty nineteen was

water to buy an air fifteen. But you can use a snack right about now how about a toast grill cheese sandwich just be warned. If you happen to achieve gooey, cheesy perfection, you may be inspired to upgrade your time. Any drab kitchen. Only you won't be able to do it alone in this moment of new found passion, the people of. U S. Bank wanna help no matter what your car up their dedicated to turning your new inspiration into your next pursued. U s back housing under member hefty icy It was our big teen, soon active sooner behind you hear that siren, but Billy say, along with our fifteen rifle

a lot of ammunition still no word, though, on a motive just an awful day, you're more than the shooting started, rich opera, you ve been reporting on Nicholas crews and how he got the air fifteen rifle that was used in Wednesday, shooting one we know about that. Well, according to federal authorities, he bought at a place called Sunrise article, which is near his home, and he bought it about a year ago and he apparently passed a background check and it was illegal purchase and how easy is it to purchase an air fifteen in Florida worry less will very easy. It turns out you just walk in you submit to a background check and assuming you pass, attacking and walk out. We are gone and ammunition magazine

in Florida by hand gone you there's a three day waiting period, but there's no waiting period for the eight hour fifteen. You also have to be twenty one to by hand gun, but you can buy a are fifteen if you're a team and was the case here that was apparently when Nick Crews, the accused killer Abad has gone when he was eighteen. So using that it's actually easier to get an air fifteen which is among the most lethal weapons on earth, then it is to get a handgun which seems comparatively Leslie in floor now. Why would that? Why? Would that be that's correct? The reason is that just visual away, lawmakers in various stage and in Congress have structure the laws. One thing gun control advocates say they. The thieves, semi automatic rifles at so closely resembled military weapons have had a huge right

and popularity over the last two decades in the laws and regulations have not kept up and partly because of the influence of the gun, industry and gun organizations on Capital Yolande and stay houses. So the gun lobby led by the energy, has, as pushed to make it easier to get these guns or keep it easier. To get these guns, knowing how popular there was. Certainly the industry and gun lobby has worked very hard to keep access to these guns available. They ve been here. Cash cow for the industry over the last two decades, and just to be clear, you don't have to clear anyhow laws other than a criminal background check in order to get an air fifteen in Florida, that's correct All you have to do is clear. The standard national gun background database check in which what would get flagged on criminal background. China were to what would disqualify someone like Nicholas Crews, from buying that air fifteen during a background.

Well, it would be a number of things, but the main ones are any felony conviction. Any domestic violence, conviction women. A felony or a misdemeanor, and any history of commitment to a mental institution or any adjudication of a mental defect and crews didn't have any there's. No, we didn't. As far as we know. What do we know about the shooter Nicholas Well, we know that he's nineteen years old, we know he was expelled from the same school where the shooting took place, and we know He was considered to be erratic and troubled by people at the school we know that he moved in with another family in November. After his mother died and according to that families lawyer,

that family allowed crews to bring his gun with him. To their house and they insisted that he keep it in a black box to which he had the key. We know that he brag about guns and photographed himself a lot with them. According to some reports. We also know that he made a common on Youtube that suggested he wanted to be a school shooter and someone apparently alerted the FBI and they investigated, but couldn't identify crews as having been the commoner. So it sounds like what you are saying is that none of the kind of behaviour

you're, describing having an affinity for guns, anti social behaviour or even making alarming comments on line about violence. None of that would prevent someone from buying an air. Fifteen will Michael the thing about the the federal gun laws is the bar to prevent someone from owning a gun based on any sort of mental health issue? Is actually very high, I mean there has to be an agenda caging of a mental defect. You know something that worked its way through the courts or there's gotta, be a history of commitments to a mental, institution. It's gotta be something like that. I mean I can't be that teachers or councillors or other students thought the sky was strange or erratic. Her troubled

that's nowhere near the kind of trigger point that would prevent someone from owning a gun. We all have a sense at this point that the our fifteen is frequently used in mass shootings, just how often, which is that act only the case, while in the deadliest mass shootings. Recently it's the weapon, that's almost exclusively used. You know if you look back at the six largest deadliest smash unions since new town, and you wanted twelve all, but one of them have been aired. Team style, semi automatic rifles. This includes, of course, the school and new town Connecticut. This includes the attacks. In San Bernardino. California, you had the night, shooting two years ago in Orlando Florida and just a few months ago

the shooting in LAS Vegas and in southern springs, Texas, other church shooting they're. All of these were a our fifteen style, semi automatic rifles. So we just spoke with our colleague Chris Travers about the history of the air fifteen, getting all the way back to before the Vietnam WAR, and he said the gun has never been more popular than it is today with civilians. What's the relationship as best you can tell between that popularity and this Gale of mass shootings that were seeing in United States what I think this is a tough one, because the only people who can really answer that are the shooters themselves, but we're gonna experts say is that it's actually not complicated. I mean this is a weapon that was specifically designed for use by soldiers and Marines to kill enemy combatants. Kill the other side's troops to kill their fighters. You know it easy to use it as a high.

Oh velocity, it's easy to aim. It's not too heavy. You can swap out magazines very easily keep up a high rate of fire, the same reasons that make it such a good battlefield weapon. These experts are the same reasons that make it such an effective and deadly weapon. In a civilian mass shooting which thank you thanks very much. My fellow Americans today I speak to a nation in grief. Yesterday, a school filled with innocent children and carrying teachers became the scene of terrible violence, hatred and evil. On Thursday morning, speaking from the White House, President Trump delivered a subdued

Seven minute address, calling Nicholas crews mentally disturbed, but saying nothing about guns. The president delivered similar remarks in November after the shooting at me church in Sutherland Springs texts, saying it wasn't a quote gone situation, but a mental health problem at the highest level and again in October after the shooting in LAS Vegas, when he called the shooter of very sick man and a demented person. Today we mourn for all of those. Who lost their lives. We comfort the grieving and the wounded and we heard for the entire community of parkland flawed that is now in shock in pain and searching for answers Here's what else you need to know that on Thursday,

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