SEATTLE - Federal agents have now traced the guns used in all three police shooting incidents over the past two months.
Authorities say they've tracked at least six weapons and that more arrests could come for people who supplied guns to the killers. Nationwide the ATF tracks some 300,000 guns involved in crimes every year. A team of 14 law enforcers works the agency's Crime Gun Center in Seattle.
With six local police officers gunned down on the job over the past 8 weeks finding where those guns came from is agent Robby Knight's top priority.
"Selling guns is a big business, you can make a lot of money selling a gun," says Knight. "Those who want to make that money will sell guns illegally. And here's plenty of people out there looking to buy a gun."
We now know that one of the handguns used by Maurice Clemmons in the murders of the four Lakewood police officers last month was stolen from a home in King County three years ago. Christopher Monfort, accused of killing Seattle police officer Tim Brenton, had an arsenal in his apartment, including three high-powered rifles. David Crable, the Pierce County deputy shooter, was allowed to own firearms despite a violent history. Police found a cache of weapons in his home, including a .357 handgun, an AK-47 remake and a sniper rifle. It's still unclear where all those guns came from.
ATF special agent Kelvin Crenshaw says his agency is investigating people related to the weapons involved in all these shootings.
"Every gun has a story to tell," he says.
Investigators are now looking at everyone from the dealers, who first sold those guns, to the killers themselves - and everyone in between.
"If there is one mistake in your agenda," says Crenshaw, "we're gonna catch you and you're gonna go to jail."
ATF investigators also say there is no law in Washington requiring people to report a stolen gun to police. they say such a law would surely provide more leads for their investigations.
