The national group Everytown for Gun Safety is highlighting the toll of gun violence against police officers in New Mexico as the state Legislature considers new regulations to ensure background checks on nearly all private firearms purchases.
The advocacy group for universal background checks says it reviewed instances where police were shot and killed since 1987 in New Mexico and found that the majority of shooters were prohibited or likely prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing firearms at the time.
The analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety was released on Tuesday as a Senate committee takes up discussion of a bill to close the so-called gun show loophole by requiring background checks against a federal database on private firearms transactions, with exceptions for transfers between relatives or while hunting.
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