Upstate New York gun-store owner Robert Donald, who sold an assault weapon to Buffalo shooter Payton Gendron, has stated that he 'feels terrible' about the fatal shooting. Donald has been targeted online with several social media users blaming him for the bloody massacre.
As many as 10 people were left dead and several injured after Gendron, dressed in a military uniform, opened fire inside a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.
Gendron's Background Check Revealed No Red Flag
Owner of Vintage Firearms in Endicott, New York, Donald said that it was only after the federal agents told him on Saturday night that he learnt that the weapon used in the gruesome killings was purchased from his store.
Speaking to The New York Times, Donald said that federal agents apprised him about the weapon, a Bushmaster assault weapon, being purchased by the 18-year-old from his shop. "I knew nothing about it until I got the call from them. I couldn't believe it," he told the outlet.
Stating that he didn't remember the specifics about his gun being sold to the 18-year-old owing to large customer volume, Donald said it was only after agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives visited his store to collect the paper work related to the purchase.
Claiming that Gendron's background check came clean and did not raise any red flags, the gun-shop owner said, "He didn't stand out. Because if he did, I would've never sold him the gun. I don't understand why an 18-year-old would even do this. I know I didn't do anything wrong, but I feel terrible about it," he said adding that he rarely sells the type of assault rifle sought by teenager.
Gun Shop Owner Faces Heat on Social Media
Slamming the gun-shop owner for selling the assault rifle to the teenager, social media users refused to believe that Donald didn't remember the sale.
"Gendron bought his Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle at the Vintage Firearms in Endicott, N.Y. He got his gun as soon as he could because he could. Because nobody gave a fuck, again. I have a feeling this will be a real bad summer," opined a user.
"I don't understand why an 18-year-old would even do this," said the owner of Vintage Firearms, who sold a gun to the suspect. Well, it's even more mind-boggling that someone would sell the weapon of choice of mass murderers to an 18-year-old kid," wrote a user.
"I don't believe Robert Donald. I've been to Endicott, NY. It's a small sleepy town, where people know each other. We're supposed to believe that a guy who normally sells vintage guns didn't recall a person who brought a gun the he normally didn't sell?" expressed another user.
"Somebody needs to tell Robert Donald he feels terrible for a reason. He did do something wrong. He sold a weapon of mass murder to a teenager. He is responsible. So are the manufacturers. And so are the craven Republicans who make sure that that's legal," wrote another.
