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Owners of gun store who sold school shooter weapon close shop indefinitely: ‘Shocked and mortified’
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Owners of gun store who sold school shooter weapon close shop indefinitely: ‘Shocked and mortified’

The owners of a gun shop in Coral Springs, Florida, have closed their shop indefinitely after Nikolas Cruz, a former patron, carried out one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history with a weapon he purchased from the store.

What are the details?

The New York Daily News reported Monday that Michael and Lisa Morrison, owners of Sunrise Tactical Supply, closed their shop indefinitely on Friday "out of respect" of those impacted by the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Cruz reportedly bought the weapon he used in the shooting at the Morrisons' shop in February 2017.

Douglas Rudman, a lawyer for the Morrisons, said that the couple is "shocked and mortified that anything like this would happen," pointing to the deadly shooting which claimed the lives of at least 17 people and injured many more.

According to Rudman, the Morrisons followed proper procedure in selling the gun to Cruz.

"There was nothing about this transaction that raised any suspicions in the minds of the owners or the employees," Rudman said, noting that the shop had performed "all appropriate background checks, received all the proper clearances, and held the weapon for the required [five] business day waiting period."

According to the outlet, Cruz answered "no" on the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) paperwork asking if he suffered from mental illness.

What do the Morrisons think?

Rudman in a statement went on to express the Morrisons' points of view on the shooting.

"They condemn in the strongest possible fashion anyone who uses any weapon in anger and violence," Rudman added. "They’re good family people who would never advocate violence toward anyone."

The Morrisons are apparently even going as far as to throw support behind legislation that would clarify procedures surrounding those with mental illness attempting to purchase guns.

"They feel strongly about supporting measures that would require the disclosure of allegations of mental illness to agencies that govern the approval of firearm sales," Rudman's statement added. "These measures will be a first step toward taking firearms out of the hands of those who would use them for such reprehensible attacks."

The store hosted FBI and ATF agents on Sunday, according to the outlet.

Anything else?

The couple who welcomed Cruz into their home as a live-in guest expressed their shock at and dismay over the school shooting.

Kimberly and James Snead were featured Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America," where they said Cruz was "nothing like they portray on television or in the media."

Kimberly said that she is "absolutely heartbroken" and "devastated."

"I still can’t process it because this isn’t the person we knew," she added. "Not at all."

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