Brownsville

see information for McAllen

Brownsville has  21 gun dealers, and McAllen has another 27, including Danny’s Pawn and Sporting Goods, from which 120 guns were sold and recovered in crime scenes in Mexico in 2009 and 2010. Glick Twins in Pharr sold 165 guns that turned up in Mexico during the same period. In March 2008 Gilberto Leal bought two Bushmaster rifles at Glick Twins, one that was used in an attempted kidnapping in Hidalgo state. Academy Sports in McAllen also sold many guns traced to Mexico, and decided to stop selling assault weapons in border–‐ area stores. “We wanted to do what we can to make sure that our firearms aren’t contributing to the border problem,” Academy spokeswoman Elise Hasbrook said. In 2007, four men legally purchased more than 120,000 rounds of assault rifle ammunition in McAllen and Mission, much of which they illegally brought into Mexico before their arrest. In 2008, five men bought 23 high–‐caliber rifles from Ricky’s Guns and Ammunition and other dealers in Brownsville to smuggle into Mexico. The five men have served their prison sentences and are out. Ricky’s is still selling guns. Brownsville mayor Tony Martinez is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which supports establishing the gun dealer Code of Conduct to prevent straw purchases of guns.

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