Following the Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooting, three men are now facing federal gun charges in connection with the incident. The U.S. Attorney in Missouri revealed that the investigation uncovered an illegal gun operation involving 22-year-old Fedo Manning, 21-year-old Ronnel Williams Jr., and 19-year-old Chaelyn Groves. While these individuals are not accused of opening fire at the parade, prosecutors believe they were part of an illegal firearms trafficking and straw purchases of firearms scheme.
Firearms Recovery and Tracing Back to Illegal Gun Ring
During the investigation into the shooting, police recovered multiple firearms at the scene, two of which could be traced back to the alleged illegal gun ring. One of the weapons, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223-caliber pistol, was allegedly purchased by Manning from a gun store in 2022. Manning is accused of illegally trafficking dozens of guns. The second weapon, a Stag Arms 300-caliber pistol, was allegedly bought by Williams for Groves at a gun show in 2023 when Groves was too young to make the purchase legally.
Manning is facing a total of 12 federal charges, while Williams Jr. and Groves are both charged with 4 counts each. Although none of the men are directly charged with shooting anyone during the parade, officials are not ruling out the possibility that the illegal guns played a role in the incident. According to court documents, 12 individuals brandished firearms, and at least 6 fired their weapons during the parade. U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore emphasized the importance of stopping straw buyers and preventing illegal firearms trafficking as a crucial step in reducing gun violence.
A straw gun sale occurs when someone purchases a weapon on behalf of another individual. In addition to the federal charges related to the illegal gun ring, several individuals have been charged in connection with the shooting that resulted in the death of one woman and injuries to over 20 people, mostly children. The U.S. Attorney stressed the collaborative efforts with law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those involved in the illegal buying and selling of dangerous weapons to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals.
The uncovering of an illegal gun operation in connection with the Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooting highlights the ongoing challenges posed by illegal firearms trafficking and straw purchases. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of strong enforcement measures and collaborative efforts among law enforcement agencies to prevent such incidents and keep communities safe from gun violence.
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