Gun show coming to Allen months after mass shooting
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People from across North Texas joined Allen residents in mourning after the May shooting. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Four months after a gunman killed eight people and injured seven more at an outlet mall in Allen, a local company is organizing a gun show less than a mile away.
Driving the news: The Allen Gun Show will take place this weekend at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center.
Why it matters: An event promising "over 500 tables of guns, knives, ammo and shooting supplies" so close to the site of a recent mass shooting is paradigmatic of the gun-rights divide in America.
- While mass shootings often fuel debate over gun regulation, several studies have shown that they also lead to a temporary increase in gun sales.
Catch up fast: On May 6, a 33-year-old Dallas man drove to the outlet mall with eight legally purchased guns and opened fire near H&M.
- An Allen police officer fatally shot the gunman.
- Two young sisters and a couple and their 3-year-old son were among the people killed.
- The mall reopened on May 31.
The intrigue: The city of Allen and Premier Gun Shows, the Fort Worth-based company organizing the event, canceled a similar gun show planned for July 15-16 after a mutual agreement, per the Dallas Morning News.
- City officials and the company didn't elaborate on their agreement at the time or say whether the cancellation was related to the shooting.
Context: Premier hosts gun shows across the state almost every weekend of the year, including The Original Fort Worth Gun Show.
- The company has another gun show scheduled at the same Allen venue in November.
Zoom out: Last year the NRA held its national convention in Houston, a few days after 19 children and two teachers were killed at an elementary school in Uvalde.
What they're saying: Neither Premier nor the mayor of Allen responded to multiple requests for comment.
Meanwhile: The Biden administration announced last month that it's proposing to eliminate the so-called gun show loophole.
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has proposed a regulation that would mean anyone who deals in firearms for profit must get a federal license and conduct criminal background checks — regardless of where and how the guns are sold.