Aurora shooter lied on FOID card application, wasn't allowed to have gun: state police

AURORA (Sun-Times Media Wire) - Gary Martin, the 45-year-old man who went on a violent rampage Friday afternoon after being fired from his job at an Aurora factory, had his gun license revoked and wasn’t legally allowed to have the .40 caliber handgun he used to kill five people and wound six others, including five police officers.

Martin, who was killed by police on Friday, was approved for a Firearm Owner’s Identification card on Jan. 31, 2014, after clearing a background check that only searched his criminal history in Illinois, according to a statement from Illinois State Police. Martin reportedly lied on the application, claiming that he had never been convicted of a felony.

Court records show Martin was convicted of aggravated assault in the stabbing of a woman in Mississippi in 1995. He was ultimately released from custody on April 18, 1997, state police said.

After receiving his FOID license, Martin was allowed to buy a handgun after clearing another background check on March 6, 2014, state police said. It wasn’t until 10 days later, when he applied for a Firearm Concealed Carry License, that Martin’s felony conviction was flagged.

Unlike applying for a FOID card, concealed carry applicants can voluntarily submit their fingerprints to expedite the application process, state police said. The fingerprint search ultimately tipped off authorities to Martin’s guilty plea in the aggravated assault.

As a result, Martin’s application for a concealed carry license was denied and he was notified that he had to give up his FOID card and any weapons in his possession, state police said. His FOID license was eventually revoked on April, 17, 2014.

State law requires a revoked FOID holder to hand over their card and submit a Firearm Disposition Record within 48 hours of receiving notice that their license had been revoked, state police said. People who have had their FOID cards revoked can transfer their weapons to a valid FOID holder or hand them over to local police.

The Firearm Disposition Record includes the name, address and FOID number of the person receiving any transferred weapons from the revoked card holder, state police said. The document requires the revoked FOID holder to get a signature from the local law enforcement that receives it, and that agency is then required to mail the completed form to state police.

But state police officials have no record of receiving Martin’s completed Firearm Disposition Record or his revoked FOID card.

“A review of paper and electronic files continues,” the agency said in the statement.

If someone fails to comply with the rules after having their gun license revoked, a local police agency or county sheriff can petition the court to issue a search warrant for guns or a FOID card, state police said. State law, however, does not require them to do so.