Guns Galore store in Killeen, Texas, where officials said Nidal Malik Hasan bought the semi-automatic handgun used in the shooting. The purchase was legal(Thomas Costley/KXAN)
Updated: Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 11:50 PM CST
Published : Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 3:28 PM CST
WASHINGTON (AP) - Law enforcement officials said a 5.7-millimeter pistol used in the Fort Hood shooting rampage was purchased legally at a Texas gun store.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.
Records indicate Hasan bought the FN 5.7 at store called "Guns Galore" in Killeen, Texas, well before the attack that left 13 people dead.
The pistol has been dubbed a "cop killer" by those who have tried to stop its use.
The most powerful type of ammunition for the gun is available only to law enforcement and military personnel.
Gun control advocates call it a "cop killer" weapon because that ammo can pierce bulletproof vests, and its use by Mexican drug cartels worries police.
Guns Galore is located along a busy, five-lane highway that leads to Ft. Hood. There is a tire store across the busy highway.
The store is not big, but advertises its name - and weapons - prominently.
The inside is cramped and filled, with every inch of wall covered in rifles, shotguns and display cases filled with pistols and various handguns.
Three employees stand behind the counter helping customers who stream in and out throughout the day. Most customers are in the military and did not want to talk on camera about the shooting or the fact that the Ft. Hood shooter may have purchased his weapons at Guns Galore.
One soldier did say ''It doesn't matter where he got the gun. It is just sad he used it like that.''
The owner of the shop did not want to talk to reporters. He has been contacted by the authorities in this case and is cooperating with them. He says he is still not sure if the gun is from his shop.
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