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AT&T Shooting raises gun control questions on both sides

By EMMA WRIGHT

Story Created: May 28, 2010 at 7:12 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 29, 2010 at 9:28 AM EDT

NEW YORK MILLS, NY (WKTV) - An angry man with a vendetta, a hit list, and an unlicensed gun unleashed his fury at the AT&T store on Commercial Drive Thursday.

79-year-old Abraham Dickan walked into the store and opened fire with an illegal gun. For now, it's the scene of a crime but gun control advocates are calling it a sign of the times.

"What this showcases...is how easy it is for someone to possess a gun that is illegal," says Angelo Roefaro, New York State Coordinator for Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

The Coalition says the shooting begs the question, how did a 79-year-old man get his hands on the weapon? They say it could be an example of the loophole law. People cross state lines and buy guns with cash, no questions asked. The Coalition says illegal gun trafficking can happen anywhere.

The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association says loophole law or not, it's up to law enforcement to crack down on who is carrying the gun.

Both sides say Rome Police Officer Donald Moore should be commended for using his weapon the right way; stepping into the line of fire and shooting Dickan with his own .40 caliber handgun.

"There isn't a loophole," says Tom King, President of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. "It's not a gun issue, it's an enforcement issue."

The shooting is still under investigation. Police are still looking for where Dickan obtained the gun he used in Thursday's shooting.

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