Wounded Indianapolis Officer Sues Seller of Gun Used to Shoot Him [View all]

An Indianapolis police officer’s lawsuit against the original seller of a handgun later used to wound him might have to overcome a state law in Indiana that gives gun sellers significant immunity.

The lawsuit filed Dec. 10 in a Marion County court by the Washington-based Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence claims KS&E Sports of Indianapolis negligently sold the handgun used to shoot Officer Dwayne Runnels in 2011.

Runnels was wounded in the leg during an exchange of gunfire in which Demetrious Martin was killed. Tarus Blackburn pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally selling the weapon to Martin, who couldn’t legally possess a firearm because he was a convicted felon.

The lawsuit claims Blackburn accompanied Martin to KS&E Sports in October 2011, bought a gun that Martin picked out and then sold it to Martin in the store’s parking lot. The lawsuit alleges the gun shop’s workers should have known Blackburn was making a “straw purchase” for Martin.

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2013/12/13/314417.htm