Teen shot, father questions gun sale

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A 14-year-old Indianapolis boy killed Tuesday night may have been shot with a gun purchased off Craigslist.

Nicholas King was a freshman at Franklin Central High School.

Police say the shooting was an accident.

King's father said it was too easy for his son's friend to get a gun and from what 24-Hour News 8 has learned, he may be right.

You can find just about anything on Craigslist, including guns. With the click of a mouse, we found hundreds right here in Indianapolis - and for any price you could have one.

“It's no different than posting a car in the auto trader,” said Greg Burge of Beech Grove Firearms. “You can list the gun for sale; as long as it doesn't cross state lines, the federal guidelines don't kick in.”

Police won't say if a gun used Tuesday night that killed 14-year-old Nicholas King was bought on Craigslist. But in an e-mail to 24-Hour News 8, King's father said the gun was purchased off the site.

Burge is one of the owners of Beech Grove Firearms.

Before anyone buys a weapon at his store, they have to fill out this Firearms Transaction Record and go though an extensive FBI background check.

“We are mandated to do this on any sale of any firearm, whether it's a long gun or a hand gun,” Burge said.

Burge said that's not the case on craigslist.

“If me and you were making a deal in the K-Mart parking lot, or where ever it may be, if I don't know that you're a convicted felon or prohibited from owning a fire arm, there's nothing that prohibits me from selling you a fire arm,” he said.

Bob Chamberlain was looking at a rifle to purchase.

The idea of buying a gun off Craigslist doesn't interest him, but he's not surprised you can do it.

“Someone says I've got a weapon, I don't need it anymore - it's semi-automatic, not an automatic weapon - here you go. You give me the money, now the weapon belongs to you. Same thing can happen with a car, same thing can happen with a machete. It breaks your heart,” Chamberlain said.

Police arrested 18-year-old Kevin Edwards and his 15-year-old step-brother in the deadly shooting. They said Edwards bought the gun.

Police said the 15-year old pulled the trigger, but didn't know the gun was loaded.

They said the two were joking around and just trying to scare King.