Police say 19-year-old Brandon Scott Hole killed eight people and himself Thursday night at an Indianapolis FedEx while armed with two powerful weapons he purchased within the last year.
Questions about the weapons, and the gunman’s ability to purchase them in light of prior interactions with law enforcement, remain.
Hole, a former FedEx employee, used his weapons to begin a massacre around 11 p.m. Thursday. He was found dead inside the business at 8951 Mirabel Road.
What kind of guns did Brandon Scott Hole use in the FedEx shooting?
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Hole used two “assault rifles” during the shooting.
Additional information about the make, model and caliber of the weapons has not yet been released.
It remains unclear how many rounds were fired Thursday night, and if Hole fired rounds from each weapon.
When did Hole purchase the guns?
Hole purchased one of the weapons in July 2020, and the other in September 2020, police said.
When were they bought?
Suspect legally purchased guns used in FedEx Indianapolis shooting, police say
Were the guns purchased legally?
Although police did not disclose where Hole bought the weapons, they confirmed that both assault rifles were purchased legally.
Did Hole purchase any other weapons?
Hole bought a shotgun in early 2020 when he was 18-years-old, according to IMPD and FBI officials.
Shortly after bringing the weapon home, his mother contacted the authorities to report that her son was making suicidal threats and might try to commit “suicide by cop.”
Records show IMPD conducted a mental health check at the 1100 block of North Huber Street and list Hole as being arrested. The report says police also seized his shotgun.
Did Hole ever get that shotgun back?
IMPD placed Hole on an immediate detention mental health temporary hold. The FBI interviewed Hole again a month later based on “items observed in the suspect’s bedroom,” and later said no violent extremism ideology was found or criminal violation detected.
‘We tried to get him the help he needed,’ shooter’s family says
The shotgun was not returned to Hole, but there is no indication that the weapon was withheld in accordance to Indiana’s red flag law.
What does Indiana’s gun laws say?
Called the Jake Laird Law in honor of a slain Indianapolis police officer, red flag legislation passed in 2005 allows law enforcement to seize guns from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others.
After a warrantless seizure, the officer who recognizes the potential red flags has to submit a written statement to the court describing why the person is considered dangerous. Judges have 14 days to review seizures, and gun owners can fight it in in court.
If the gun owner is denied, the law prohibits them from purchasing or possessing firearms for a year before another court hearing can be held.
If Hole fought the seizure and won, he would have had his shotgun returned. If he was unsuccessful, he would have barred from buying weapons in July and September.
___
(c) 2021 The Indianapolis Star
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
