Williams Anderson Amaya
Williams Anderson Amaya made a legal purchase of a handgun from a retailer in Grand Junction on the day that authorities say he fatally shot his aunt and uncle in El Jebel, according to a preliminary investigation.
Investigators with the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office looked into the purchase and found Amaya was cleared in a required federal background check performed by the retailer, Brown said.
The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office said Amaya purchased a .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Amaya, who was born in El Salvador, was a legal alien in the United States, according to authorities. There are no restrictions on legal aliens legally purchasing and possessing a firearm, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s website. The federal background check looks to see if the person wanting to make a purchase was convicted of any crime that required imprisonment for more than one year, “has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution,” is under a court restraining order for threatening an intimate partner or has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, among other factors, the CBI’s website said.
“For us, the significance of the purchase is the time,” Brown said. Information wasn’t immediately available on when Amaya entered the retail gun shop or when he cleared the background check and completed the purchase. Brown said it was during the daytime Saturday, July 12. Amaya is accused of shooting the Lopezes at about 11 p.m. that night.
Amaya was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, indicating that authorities believe it was premeditated. Autopsies showed the victims were both shot four times and died immediately.
The shootings occurred after Amaya argued with his aunt about the family dog, according to an arrest warrant affidavit by a detective working the case. However, Brown said there “is no obvious reason why” the shooting occurred. Amaya was renting a room in the Lopez house.
"Amaya was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, indicating that authorities believe it was premeditated."
ReplyDeleteSo if they have evidence it was a planned murder, then a waiting period wouldn't have mattered because if there had been one, that would have been part of the plan. I imagine that eventually the evidence concerning this planning will be made public.
He also bought the gun legally through an FFL and passed the required background check. No mention of anything that might have disqualified him.
We'll never know if a three-day or a ten-day waiting period might have made a difference. Even one day might have been enough for his "plan" to have changed.
DeleteIs there no scenario that a waiting period might save a life?
DeleteTo say waiting for what ever period "wouldn't have mattered " is simple incorrect!
DeleteWhat can be said that IS correct is that waiting for what ever time period stops for that period what could be done with that newly bought weapon.
"Is there no scenario that a waiting period might save a life?"
DeleteOriginally, waiting periods were put in place to allow law enforcement time to conduct background checks. With the advent of computerized records, the NICS system negates this need.
Another train of thought is that waiting periods help prevent spur of the moment crimes and suicides. This murder doesn't seem to fall into that category.
Do you think most murders are planned, or spur of the moment? Whatever that percentage; do you think a waiting period would save some lives that come under spur of the moment?
DeleteMaybe SS will answer the question weeks from now.
Delete"Do you think most murders are planned, or spur of the moment? Whatever that percentage; do you think a waiting period would save some lives that come under spur of the moment? "
DeleteSorry Anon, I was on two weeks of active duty training and while I can often read regularly, my time available to write meaningful answers was limited. I'm touched you missed me though.
Possibly, however I haven't seen any studies quantifying the presence or lack of success in regards to waiting periods. Something for each state to decide.
ss, c'mon, don't you think a waiting period might have made a difference in this case. Although the guy supposedly planned the murder, after purchasing the weapon, if he'd had to go home and sit on the idea for another day or three, don't you think that might have been just enough time for him to reconsider?
Delete"Although the guy supposedly planned the murder, after purchasing the weapon, if he'd had to go home and sit on the idea for another day or three, don't you think that might have been just enough time for him to reconsider?"
DeleteWe don't really know Mike. So far, not much has been said regarding what evidence there is proving premeditation. I don't know if there's an accepted standard in the legal realm to define an amount of planning time before the crime to define premeditation. Perhaps some commenters here with legal experience can contribute in that area.
So we really don't know if the crimes were planned before or after he purchased the firearm. It also appears that he also planned to murder others in the house.
“Other occupants appeared to be targeted during this event,” Brown said outside the courtroom. “It appears that similar means used against the victims were contemplated to be used against others. Some of the forensic evidence indicated that.”
http://www.postindependent.com/news/12216046-113/amaya-brown-court-eagle
Actually, we do know ss.
DeleteWe know violence, towards others and self-directed, is largely impulsive. This means many folks who are considering a bad act often cool down with the passage of time and reconsider.
Merely claiming "how do we know if 7 or 10 days will work" is making good the enemy of perfect.
ss, I know "we don't really know." I asked you what you think. Can you honestly say you don't think any gun violence would be prevented by a waiting period, ever?
DeleteThat would be a good excuse SS, but you responded and commented on other posts during that time.
DeleteNot an excuse Anon, just is. If it had been straight up field duty there would have been nothing. As my comment said, limited, which is more than nothing and less than all.
Delete