Your hypothesis would be more likely if this were not in the US where any loser unstable wannabe bad guy can buy an assault rifle at a gun show, no background check, no questions, and ammo at the corner Walmart.
you are so wrong assault rifles have been banned since 1968(class 3 firearms) semi automatic rifles are available but you need a background check I challenge you to try and buy one in the us with no questions asked or no background check it’s a felony (Would also be a federal felony for a non resident to buy one)rifles are rarely used in murders less then 2% of gun deaths are from rifles If they are a dealer they are 100% required to do a background check private sale they must ask if your a felon or prohibited from owning and of legal age (varies state to state for rifles)
also this guy left his post from a military base it was the armies rifle not his and usually you are not issued ammo to just carry around
NFA of 1934 required full autos to be registered and a tax paid per transfer $200.00 the act was open to add new guns at the time in 1968 they eliminated adding new guns in 1986 the had an amnesty to add new guns since then no new transferable full autos could be added so assault rifles technically were banned in 1934 (before they existed) but fully banned in 1986
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