Familes urge closing of gun 'loophole'

WASHINGTON, July 14 (UPI) -- Families of victims of the April 2007 shooting massacre at Virginia Tech say they want lawmakers to close a purchasing "loophole" at private gun shows.

The so-called loophole is a provision in Virginia law requiring licensed gun dealers to run a criminal history check before selling a gun, but private sellers at gun shows aren't held to that standard, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Wednesday.

Attempts to modify the law to mandate background checks before private gun sales are completed have repeatedly failed to pass the state General Assembly, the newspaper said.

In a statement released in Washington prior to a forum about closing the loophole to be held in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee room, the Virginia Tech families denounced the gun sale "loophole."

"This problem is not limited to the confines of the Commonwealth of Virginia, but rather extends across all 37 states still allow the public sale of firearms without a background check," the statement said.

"We know from firsthand experience the pain and devastation that can result when a person prohibited by law from owning or possessing firearms can nevertheless gain easy access to them and use them to maim and kill.

"That is why we are asking the federal government to step in and enact legislation to make it more difficult for dangerous people to obtain dangerous weapons."

In the Virginia Tech shooting spree, Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and wounded many others before committing suicide.