Jul 17, 2013 2 min read

HARRISBURG – A woman whose son was among the victims of a mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school urged Pennsylvania lawmakers Wednesday to change state law so that private sales of rifles would require background checks.

Francine Lobis Wheeler, whose son, Ben, was among 20 first-graders killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in December, said at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the background check system that the checks prevent felons and dangerously mentally ill people from buying guns.

“If we all agree dangerous individuals shouldn’t have guns, then shouldn’t we take at least the most basic steps to ensure that they can’t get around the system simply by going online or buying from someone who’s not a licensed gun dealer?” Wheeler asked.

The hearing was informational and not related to any specific proposal, though a bill is pending in the House to mandate background checks for all firearms purchases, including the private sale of rifles and shotguns. Currently, the private sale of rifles and shotguns are not subject to the checks, and officials said they aren’t sure how many of those sales were conducted in the state.

“That should be covered as well,” said CeaseFirePA executive director Shira Goodman. “We know that long guns are just as deadly as handguns.”

John Hohenwarter with the National Rifle Association said rifles and shotguns are involved in only about 4 percent of Pennsylvania homicides.

State police officials said Pennsylvania’s instant check system for gun purchases processed more than 1 million calls last year, a record since it began in 1998. Last year, the Pennsylvania Instant Check System was directly involved in the capture of 161 people with active warrants who were trying to buy a gun.

Judiciary Chairman Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin, said the hearing was designed to get information, and he was uncertain as to whether his committee will be voting on a bill to change the instant check system.