“In 1998, Badger had the most crime guns traced to it among all gun dealers in the United States and then fell from the top spot, only to regain the spot last year. Badger has been criticized for selling cheap handguns, which were bought by "straw buyers" with clean records and then passed on to gang members. In a 1999 sweep, the majority of straw buyers bought the guns legally at Badger.”“In 2005, there were 537 crime guns - an average of more than 10 a week - recovered and traced to Badger, the Milwaukee area's largest gun dealer. None of the others in the top five had more than 500 crime guns traced to them, according to the document from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.”
“(Co-owner) Beatovic attributed the high ranking to the low number of gun stores in Milwaukee, Badger's proximity to a high-crime area and the practice of Milwaukee police of tracing every recovered gun, something that not all departments do.
Beatovic said his store on S. 43rd St. isn't part of the problem. He said he often testifies in court cases, opens his records to detectives and frequently calls police to arrest people trying to buy guns illegally.
"We are not the bad guys, damn it. I don't care what those numbers say," he said.”
“Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett today is scheduled to meet with Beatovic, along with top police commanders and prosecutors, to talk about curbing gun violence. The meeting comes on the heels of a bloody weekend in Milwaukee in which 28 people were shot, four of them fatally.
"I want to sit down and roll up our sleeves and see that the guns they sell don't end up being used in crimes," he said.
Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney John Chisholm, head of the gun unit, also will be at the meeting. He said that Badger helps him and other authorities, and agreed that Milwaukee's policy of tracing all guns used in crimes probably drives up Badger's numbers.”
Studies have shown that most crime guns change hands at least once after they are sold by a gun shop or other dealer. However, no background check or paperwork for sale is done after the initial purchase. That is wrong, Beatovic said.
Beatovic said his store on S. 43rd St. isn't part of the problem. He said he often testifies in court cases, opens his records to detectives and frequently calls police to arrest people trying to buy guns illegally.
"We are not the bad guys, damn it. I don't care what those numbers say," he said.”
“Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett today is scheduled to meet with Beatovic, along with top police commanders and prosecutors, to talk about curbing gun violence. The meeting comes on the heels of a bloody weekend in Milwaukee in which 28 people were shot, four of them fatally.
"I want to sit down and roll up our sleeves and see that the guns they sell don't end up being used in crimes," he said.
Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney John Chisholm, head of the gun unit, also will be at the meeting. He said that Badger helps him and other authorities, and agreed that Milwaukee's policy of tracing all guns used in crimes probably drives up Badger's numbers.”
Studies have shown that most crime guns change hands at least once after they are sold by a gun shop or other dealer. However, no background check or paperwork for sale is done after the initial purchase. That is wrong, Beatovic said.
He said he has done background checks for people who are selling guns privately and want to make sure they aren't selling to a felon. Beatovic said all gun sales should require background checks.
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