An exclusive 5 On Your Side investigation revealed how accused abusers can walk into gun shops across the country and legally buy as many guns as they can carry despite protection orders being issued.
Here in Ohio, we found 17,019 domestic violence civil protection order petitions were filed in 2014 statewide. The most recent year statistics weren't available.
It's an issue that placed the constitutional right to own guns against growing concerns among domestic violence advocates that both state guns laws and procedures surrounding protective orders need to be changed.
Our investigation found that while there are federal gun laws that prohibit those convicted of domestic violence charges from purchasing weapons, there are significant loopholes that can allow abusers to legally buy guns.
In addition, while protective orders remain a vital tool for victims of domestic violence, we found how thousands of abusers can go weeks or even months before they are entered into a national criminal database that would prevent them from legally purchasing weapons following background checks.
Join Chief Investigator Ron Regan on Monday on NewsChannel 5 at 11 for a revealing look at how the justice system allows abusers to arm themselves and place you at risk.
