Church shooter bought five guns from licensed dealers

By Kevin Vaughan, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 12, 2007 at 4:01 p.m.
Updated December 12, 2007 at 4:01 p.m.

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Matthew Murray, who killed four people and wounded five others in attacks on two Christain centers, bought all five of his weapons over the past year from licensed firearms dealers.

Colorado Springs police this afternoon confirmed information provided by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Murray had three of the weapons on him when he died at New Life Church in Colorado Springs:

A Bushmaster XM 15 assaultrifle, purchased Jan. 9 at the Sportsman's Warehouse at 14140 E. Ellsworth Ave. in Aurora.

A Beretta .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun, purchased Jan. 4 at the Sportsman's Warehouse at 555 N. Chelton Road in Colorado Springs.

A Springfield Armory 9mm semiautomatic handgun, purchased Sept. 11 at Dave's Guns, 1842 S. Parker Road in Denver.

In addition, investigators found an AK-47 assault rifle in the trunk of his car and a Beretta .22-caliber handgun at his Arapahoe County home.

The AK-47 was purchased Nov. 17 at Robert's Firearms, 18498 E. Colfax Ave., in Aurora. The Beretta was purchased June 2 at the Aurora Sportman's Warehouse.

Murray purchased all five of the weapons himself, according to Colorado Springs police.

Police investigators also said today that Jean Assam, the church security officer who shot and wounded Murray, fired a total of 10 rounds from her Beretta 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

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