LUBBOCK, Texas — Private guns are legal in Texas, but gun shops and Lubbock Police Department said there are some things buyers and sellers need to be clear about. Under Texas law, licensed distributors can sell guns, but it must be done after the required background check is done on the buyer.
“All of our buyers must go through that, and even then it’s our say as to whether or not we complete the sale,” said Ed Clements, National Firearms Act (NFA) Manager for Lubbock Sharp Shooters. “There are definitely times when we decided to not sell this person a firearm.”
However, if a buyer wanted to purchase a gun through a private seller, they would be able to avoid the background check. The seller would then be held accountable if they knew the buyer was going to commit an illegal act, or if they knew the buyer was never eligible to own a gun.
“The biggest thing is that you could be selling to somebody who is going to do something like that happened in Odessa and El Paso,” said LPD Captain Ray Mendoza. “People have to be weary about that.”
If a gun sale is found to be illegal, the seller faces a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable to a year in jail, and a $4,000 fine.
