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Va. Tech, NIU Gun Dealer: Arm Students

Looser rules will deter school shooters, says man who sold to 2

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 5, 2008 1:29 PM CST
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(Newser) – Eric Thompson sold guns to both the Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech shooters, but he’s not apologizing for it. “I’m a businessman,” he tells the Los Angeles Times. “It’s a product.” But Thompson thinks he knows how to stop such violence: allow students to carry guns. “We know it’s going to happen again. It’s time to hit it head on.”

Thompson, who runs online operations from Wisconsin, is not alone. Like-minded enthusiasts are pushing legislation to allow guns on campus, and 14 states are seriously considering it. Gun-control advocates are appalled. “If a bad guy comes in, everyone always wishes there were the John Wayne hero in the classroom to respond,” said one. “But that’s really hard to pull off.”

A lone mourner at Northern Illinois University places flowers at a memorial for the five victims of the Valentines Day shooting on the campus of NIU in DeKalb, Ill., Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. The man who sold the gun used in the massacre says relaxing rules to allow students to...
A lone mourner at Northern Illinois University places flowers at a memorial for the five victims of the Valentines Day shooting on the campus of NIU in DeKalb, Ill., Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. The man who...   (Associated Press)
Eric Thompson, owner of The Gun Source, a Green Bay-based Internet gun store, poses for a photo in Green Bay, Wis in this April 19, 2007 file photo. Thompson said Friday, Feb. 15, 2008 that his web site, which sold a weapon to the Virginia Tech shooter in April 1007,...
Eric Thompson, owner of The Gun Source, a Green Bay-based Internet gun store, poses for a photo in Green Bay, Wis in this April 19, 2007 file photo. Thompson said Friday, Feb. 15, 2008 that his web site,...   (Associated Press)
  (Shutterstock)
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Related links

Thompson hopes site will stir gun debate
NPR

... and the site itself
GunDebate.com

US

 
gun control • Seung-Hui Cho • gun sales • school shooting • Northern Illinois University • Virginia Tech shootings • Steven Kazmierczak • Eric Thompson • Glock • guns

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