GREENVILLE, NC (WNCT) – Investigators say Omar Mateen used a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle in the Orlando attacks, which he legally purchased days before the shooting.
In North Carolina, AR-15 rifles are easier to get than you may think. The rifles are classified as a long gun and you don’t need a gun permit to purchase one. You just need to be a U.S. citizen, provide a photo ID and fill out an ATF background check.
“If you filled out a 44-73, that allows us to do a background check right then and there once you’re ready to purchase your gun or your AR-15,” said Lindsey Richardson, a salesperson at Colt’s Guns & Pawn.
If your background check passes, you can purchase the rifle that day. The AR-15 is a popular choice at Colt’s Guns & Pawn in Greenville.
Sales of the rifle have increased since the Orlando shooting.
