Breaking Analysis • Armed Citizen • NY Safe Inc. • May 12, 2026
Cambridge Shooting: A Legally Armed Civilian Helped a State Trooper Stop an Active Shooter
A trained civilian stood in the gap. A regular person who was prepared became one of the heroes.
By Peter Ticali | NY Safe Inc. | May 12, 2026
NRA Endowment Life Member • NRA & USCCA Certified Instructor • Licensed Firearms Instructor: NY, MD, DC, MA, UT • NY Pistol License Holder Since 1992 • FBI & SCPD Citizens Academy Graduate
In a state ranked #3 in the country for gun-law strength, a man with a reported prior conviction that appears to make him federally prohibited allegedly opened fire on traffic with a rifle. Two innocent people were shot. Police were on the way. And then an ordinary licensed civilian — legally armed, trained, and prepared — helped a Massachusetts State Police trooper end it. This is that story, what it means, and why every responsible New Yorker should pay attention.
"The question will not be whether you had strong opinions. The question will be whether you were prepared."
— Peter Ticali, NY Safe Inc.
In This Article
Legal Disclaimer: NY Safe Inc. is not a law firm. This article is commentary and training-oriented analysis, not legal advice. Firearms laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Every defensive incident is unique and fact-specific. Consult a qualified firearms attorney for advice about your specific situation. Accounts of the Cambridge incident are drawn from official Cambridge Police releases, court documents, and named news organizations; details may change as legal proceedings develop.
Quick Answer
Was the Cambridge shooter stopped by a legally armed civilian?
Yes. According to the official Cambridge Police Department release dated May 11, 2026, a Massachusetts State Police trooper and a civilian who was in legal possession of a firearm confronted the suspect. Both the trooper and the civilian fired their weapons. The suspect was struck multiple times and taken into custody. NBC Boston reported the civilian was an experienced firearm owner with a license to carry and a former firearms instructor — a trained, ordinary citizen who happened to be there, happened to be prepared, and chose to act.
Key Takeaways
- ✓ A legally armed civilian and a Massachusetts State Police trooper together stopped an active shooter on Cambridge's Memorial Drive on May 11, 2026.
- ✓ The civilian was a regular person — licensed, trained, and prepared. Whatever his background, what made him effective that day is available to any responsible adult willing to pursue it seriously.
- ✓ Based on his reported prior conviction, the accused shooter appears to have been a federally prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) — already barred from possessing firearms or ammunition if the reported conviction qualifies under federal law. The major prohibitions politicians point to already existed. He allegedly ignored them all.
- ✓ Massachusetts is ranked #3 in the nation for gun-law strength — yet a man with a reported prior conviction that appears to trigger federal firearm prohibitions allegedly appeared on a busy Cambridge road with a rifle and opened fire.
- ✓ Warning signs preceded the attack: a parole officer reportedly saw the suspect waving a rifle on FaceTime and warned police — less than two hours before the shooting.
- ✓ The civilian did not act recklessly — he used cover, fired, warned bystanders, and placed his firearm on the ground before police arrived. That is discipline, not luck. And it is teachable.
The Incident
It Started As an Ordinary Monday in Cambridge. It Ended With a Civilian Defender Helping Stop an Active Shooter Before More People Were Shot.
Memorial Drive runs along the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts — a busy urban road flanked by MIT, parks, and the dense foot and vehicle traffic of one of America's most populated academic corridors. On the afternoon of May 11, 2026, it became an active-shooter scene.
Authorities said a man walked down the road with an assault-style rifle and allegedly began firing at random vehicles. Drivers swerved, ducked, and scattered. Two men in separate cars were struck by gunfire and hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Others were trapped — pinned by traffic, by panic, by the physics of a busy road with no easy escape.
Then, according to the official Cambridge Police Department release, a Massachusetts State Police trooper arrived. So did a civilian — a licensed carrier, experienced with firearms, trained, and prepared. Not a badge. Not a uniform. A citizen.
The trooper and the civilian confronted the suspect together. According to the Cambridge PD release, the suspect allegedly continued firing after being confronted — striking a State Police cruiser. Both the trooper and the civilian fired. The suspect was struck multiple times in the extremities and taken into custody. The shooting stopped.
"When the trooper arrived, there was already a citizen there. That citizen was armed, trained, and positioned to help. They moved together toward the danger — and together, they ended it."
That is not a theoretical scenario from a gun-rights brochure. That is the documented, official, police-confirmed timeline of what happened on Memorial Drive.
The suspect, identified by Cambridge Police as Tyler Brown, 46, of Boston, faces charges that, according to NBC Boston's report of the criminal complaint, include assault with intent to murder with a firearm, possession of a large-capacity firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, and possession of ammunition without a Firearms Identification card.
Confirmed Facts — Cambridge Memorial Drive Shooting — May 11, 2026
Suspect
Tyler Brown, 46, Boston — previously convicted of armed assault with intent to murder, shooting at a Boston Police officer (2020)
Federal Prohibitor Status
Based on his reported prior conviction, Brown appears to have been a federally prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) — barred from possessing any firearm or ammunition if the conviction qualifies under federal law. The major prohibitions politicians point to already existed.
Victims
Two male victims, separate vehicles, hospitalized with life-threatening injuries
Who Stopped It
A Massachusetts State Police trooper and a legally armed civilian — both fired; suspect struck multiple times, taken into custody
The Civilian
A licensed, trained civilian with an LTC and prior firearms instructor experience — also a former Marine, though his military background is incidental to what made him effective. Retrieved a legal 9mm Glock from a vehicle safe (NBC Boston)
State Gun-Law Rank
Massachusetts — #3 in the nation (Everytown Research). Background checks, permit requirements, training mandates, assault-weapon restrictions, high-capacity magazine limits, red flag laws.
Pre-Attack Warning
Parole officer warned Boston Police less than two hours before; saw Brown on FaceTime waving a rifle; Brown released from psychiatric hospital 3 days prior (WBUR)
The Civilian Defender
He Was a Regular Person Who Had a License, Had Training, and Had Made a Decision Before That Day Ever Came. That Is What Made the Difference.
A note from the instructor: I have held a New York pistol license since 1992. I have trained responsible adults in firearms safety and use-of-force law for decades. I am an FBI Citizens Academy graduate and a Suffolk County Police Citizens Academy graduate. I have watched our students wrestle with the same question this civilian answered on Memorial Drive: "Would I actually be capable of doing the right thing?" Cambridge gave us a documented, police-confirmed answer. Study what this man did — not because it is exciting, but because it is instructive.
The anti-carry caricature is predictable: an overconfident amateur who makes everything worse, gets in the officers' way, confuses being armed with being untouchable.
Cambridge delivered something completely different — and something far more important to the broader conversation.
NBC Boston reported that the civilian was a former Marine. That is a fact worth noting. But here is what matters more: his military service is not what made him effective that day. His training, his license, his preparation, and his judgment did. Those things are available to any responsible adult willing to pursue them seriously.
Marines are trained primarily on rifles — the same rifles every branch of the military uses. A former Marine's handgun proficiency comes from the same places yours can: civilian training, practice, and deliberate preparation. Cambridge was not proof that only veterans can defend themselves. Cambridge was proof that any trained, licensed, prepared civilian can be the difference between more victims and a stopped attack.
According to NBC Boston's reporting, he retrieved a legal 9mm Glock from a safe in the backseat of his vehicle. He fired eight rounds. He moved to cover. He told bystanders to get back. And then — when sirens told him law enforcement was arriving in force — he placed his firearm on the ground, away from him, and waited.
Let that sequence register carefully.
The Cambridge Civilian's Action Sequence — What Every Responsible Carrier Should Study
Accessed a secured firearm — retrieved his Glock from a safe in his vehicle. Not loose. Not improperly stored. Secured.
Fired with purpose — eight rounds, in the context of an active shooter situation alongside a state trooper.
Moved to cover — did not stand in the open. Used available cover. Tactical thinking under lethal stress.
Warned bystanders — said "get back." He was thinking about everyone in the area, not just the threat in front of him.
Placed the gun on the ground when sirens sounded — did not hold his weapon when police arrived. Separated himself from his firearm. Prevented any possible armed-civilian confusion for responding officers. This is the detail that separates disciplined defenders from dangerous amateurs.
That final step — setting the firearm down before police arrived — is not instinct. That is training. That is someone who has thought through what happens after a defensive use of force, not just during it.
Nothing about this makes a private citizen a police officer, and nothing about this means armed citizens should chase danger. The lesson is narrower and more serious: when danger finds you, lawful training and disciplined judgment can matter before the next unit arrives.
"A carry license is not a superhero cape. It is a promise to be disciplined when everyone else is terrified. Cambridge showed the world what that looks like."
— Peter Ticali, NY Safe Inc.
This is precisely the responsible armed citizen that the gun-control debate refuses to acknowledge exists. Not the reckless caricature. Not the TV action hero. A former Marine, a trained adult, a law-abiding citizen who happened to be in the worst place at the worst moment — and chose to act.
System Failure
The Warning Signs Were Not Subtle. They Were Explicit, Documented, and Still the System Failed to Contain Him in Time.
This is not a story about a surprise attack from a previously unknown offender. This is a story about a system that had every warning, every signal, and every reason to act — and did not act fast enough.
CBS Boston reported that Tyler Brown had a criminal record going back to 2008. In 2020, he was charged with attempting to kill Boston Police officers. He pleaded guilty to eight charges, including armed assault with intent to murder, after firing at a Boston Police officer. NBC Boston reported that Brown also assaulted someone with a knife in 2014.
By May 2026, WBUR reported, Brown had been released from a psychiatric hospital just three days before the Memorial Drive attack. A Massachusetts parole officer reportedly called Boston Police at approximately 12:10 p.m. — less than two hours before the shooting — to warn that Brown had relapsed, was expressing suicidal ideation, had a history with firearms, and had a drug screening scheduled that same day.
According to the NBC Boston report of the criminal complaint, the parole officer saw Brown over FaceTime — waving a semi-automatic rifle while inside a kitchen. Brown allegedly said, "these people are gonna pay" and "I'm not going back to prison."
"A parole officer saw this man wave a rifle on FaceTime. She called police. Police were moving. And still — the shots came first. That gap between warning and response is exactly why a trained armed citizen mattered on Memorial Drive."
Cambridge Police said Boston Police called shortly after 1:00 p.m. to report the threat. State Police and Cambridge officers responded. When troopers arrived, they encountered an active shooter.
The warning signs were real. The concern was documented. The system was moving. But two people were already shot by the time the state trooper arrived.
In the gap between that final warning call and the arrival of enough force to end the attack — a trained civilian was already there.
That gap is real. It exists in every city. It exists in New York. It will always exist, because police are not omnipresent and violence does not announce its schedule.
The Policy Question
Massachusetts Has the Third-Strictest Gun Laws in America. The Laws Did Not Stop Him. A Trooper and a Lawful Civilian Did.
The gun-control talking point after every shooting is predictable: more laws, tighter restrictions, fewer guns in civilian hands. Cambridge forces a harder and more honest conversation.
Everytown Research — one of the leading gun-control advocacy and research organizations in the United States — ranks Massachusetts #3 in the country for gun-law strength. Their own checklist credits Massachusetts with background check requirements, permit mandates, training requirements, assault-weapon restrictions, high-capacity magazine limits, extreme-risk protection orders (red flag laws), secure storage requirements, and broad prohibitor categories covering felony convictions, domestic violence history, and mental health adjudications.
By all of those measures, the system was built to prevent exactly what happened on Memorial Drive.
And yet the charges reported by NBC Boston include carrying a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without an FID card — meaning the accused shooter allegedly had neither.
The Question Lawmakers Won't Answer
If the third-strictest gun-law state in America could not stop a known violent offender — a man under active parole supervision, with a documented history of shooting at police, who allegedly waved a rifle at his parole officer on FaceTime two hours before the attack — why is the political answer always one more burden on the law-abiding citizen who has already passed every background check, completed training, and navigated every licensing requirement?
The Law That Already Existed and Already Failed
Based on his reported prior conviction, Tyler Brown appears to have been a federally prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) — already barred from possessing a firearm or a single round of ammunition if the reported conviction qualifies under federal law. Not a new law. Not a proposed law. An existing federal statute — the same one gun-control advocates point to as proof that background checks and prohibitor categories work.
He allegedly had a rifle anyway. He allegedly had ammunition anyway. He allegedly shot two people anyway. The major prohibitions politicians point to did not physically protect those drivers. A Massachusetts State Police trooper and a licensed civilian did.
Serious people do not argue that laws never matter. Serious people argue that laws are not force fields. A prohibition does not physically place itself between a rifle and a driver trapped in Cambridge traffic. A licensing statute does not tackle a violent offender already determined to commit murder.
Enforcement matters. Supervision matters. Restraint of known violent offenders matters. And when those systems fall short — as they did on Memorial Drive — a trained, lawful armed citizen can matter too.
Cambridge was not a failure of ordinary citizens having too much freedom. Cambridge was a failure of the system to contain a violent offender already known for shooting at police. The lawful armed citizen was not the problem. He was part of the answer.
Ready to Be Part of the Responsible Majority?
New York's required 18-hour CCW training starts here. Beginner-friendly. Legally serious. Built for responsible adults who want to do this right.
NY Safe serves Long Island, NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester. See upcoming class dates and register below.
The New York Connection
New York and Massachusetts Share the Same Political Habit. Cambridge Is the Cost of That Habit. Every New Yorker Should Be Watching.
New York has pistol-license applications, background investigations, character references, interviews with licensing authorities, mandatory training, sensitive-location restrictions, purchase requirements, amendments, recertification deadlines, renewal timelines, and deep variation by county. In Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and the five boroughs, a responsible applicant can spend months — sometimes more than a year — trying to navigate a process designed to ensure only the right people are carrying lawfully.
The person under active supervision with a history of shooting at police is not sitting at home worried about whether his notarization was done correctly.
That asymmetry is the core problem. Cambridge makes it impossible to ignore.
You are not applying for a New York pistol license because you think the world is safe. You are applying because you understand that safety is not automatic, that response time is real, that police officers are human beings who cover large areas and cannot be everywhere simultaneously, and that the gap between danger appearing and protection arriving can be measured in seconds — or in lives.
NY Safe's permit guidance pages for where most of our students live and apply:
- New York 16+2 Concealed Carry Class — The required 18-hour training foundation for every NY concealed carry applicant
- NYC CCW Class — Training and licensing guidance for New York City applicants
- Nassau County CCW Class — Local support for Nassau County pistol-license applicants
- Suffolk County CCW Class — 16+2 training with guidance for Yaphank and Riverhead applicants
- Westchester County CCW Class — Required training for Westchester applicants
- View All Upcoming NY Safe Classes — See dates and register
The Training Imperative
The Permit Is Not the Finish Line. The Cambridge Civilian Proved That Real Readiness Goes Deeper Than a License Card.
Cambridge should inspire responsible people. It should not inflate egos.
There is a dangerous version of the armed-citizen conversation that treats a pistol permit like a trophy. It is wrong. A permit is proof that you cleared a government process. It is not proof that you are ready for the worst day of your life. The Cambridge civilian was ready — not because he had a permit, but because he had decades of training, military service, prior firearms instruction experience, and the discipline to act appropriately under lethal stress.
Real readiness requires:
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Firearms safety that is automatic under stress — when adrenaline eliminates conscious thought, safety must run on muscle memory
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Marksmanship that holds beyond a calm range lane — a clean bench rest shot does not predict a 15-yard shot from cover with shaking hands
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Legal knowledge of New York Penal Law Article 35 — use of force, justification, defense of others, when deadly physical force is permitted, and when it is not
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Judgment to know when not to draw — the willingness to engage is worthless without the judgment to recognize when engagement would make things worse
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Situational awareness to avoid trouble before it requires a firearm — the best defensive situation is the one you never entered
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Aftermath preparation — 911 protocol, police contact, what to say and what to stop saying, evidence preservation, legal representation, trauma response, and the reputational scrutiny that follows any defensive shooting in a public place
That last element is why NY Safe published The Second Fight: What to Do After a Defensive Shooting in New York. The physical confrontation may last seconds. The legal, investigative, administrative, emotional, and reputational fight can last years.
For New York-specific use-of-force law, see When Can You Use Force in NY? and Castle Doctrine vs. Stand Your Ground in New York.
"Winning the first fight means surviving the attack. Winning the second fight means surviving everything that comes after. Cambridge proved both fights are real."
Multi-State Carry
Cambridge Happened in Massachusetts. New Yorkers Travel There Every Day. Your NY License Does Not Follow You.
One of the most dangerous misunderstandings in the Northeast is the assumption that a New York pistol license provides lawful carry authority in neighboring states. It does not work that way. A licensed, responsible New Yorker who carries across a state line without the right permit is not a hero. They are a defendant.
NY Safe helps students build a lawful multi-state carry plan based on where they actually live, work, and travel — not on wishful thinking from internet forums.
NY Safe Multi-State Carry Pathways
- Massachusetts Non-Resident LTC Class — for eligible New Yorkers who need a lawful MA path
- NJ CCARE Qualification Course — New Jersey Permit to Carry training and qualification
- Maryland Wear & Carry Permit Class — Maryland training for New York residents
- Utah Concealed Firearm Permit Class — a strategic non-resident option for broader reciprocity
- Rhode Island Non-Resident Carry Permit — qualification and application support
- Connecticut Concealed Carry Class — CT permit training for regional planning
For a full overview: Non-Resident Concealed Carry Permits for NY Residents and Can You Carry in NYC With an Out-of-State Permit?
What Cambridge Proves
Six Things Cambridge Proved That the Debate Can No Longer Ignore
One: Based on his reported prior conviction, the accused appears to have already been barred from possessing a firearm or ammunition under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). The major prohibitions politicians point to already existed. None of them physically stopped him. A Massachusetts State Police trooper and a lawful armed citizen did.
Two: Violent criminals obtain firearms in strict gun-law states. Massachusetts's third-place ranking did not make Tyler Brown's alleged rifle disappear.
Three: The civilian was a regular person with a license, training, and preparation. Whatever his background, what he did is available to any responsible adult willing to pursue it seriously. Prepared civilians are the hero in this story.
Four: Police courage is real — and a civilian was present and acting before enough police could fully contain the threat. Both are true simultaneously. One does not erase the other.
Five: A trained armed civilian can work alongside law enforcement — not interfere with it. Discipline is the difference. That discipline is trained, not innate.
Six: The permit is not the finish line. The Cambridge civilian's training, discipline, and judgment are what mattered. The license was the beginning. The readiness was the result of deliberate, serious preparation — and that is something every responsible adult can build.
"Train before the crisis. Learn the law before the headline. Build the permit path before you need it. Understand the aftermath before you ever carry in public. When the worst day comes, the question will not be whether you had strong opinions. The question will be whether you were prepared."
— Peter Ticali, Founder & Lead Instructor, NY Safe Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Cambridge shooter stopped by a legally armed civilian?
According to the official Cambridge Police Department release, the suspect was confronted by a Massachusetts State Police trooper and a civilian in legal possession of a firearm. The release confirms both the trooper and the civilian fired their weapons, and the suspect was struck multiple times and taken into custody. NBC Boston reported the civilian was an experienced firearm owner with a license to carry and a former firearms instructor — a trained, prepared citizen who happened to be there when it mattered.
Was the accused shooter a federally prohibited person?
Likely yes, based on his reported prior conviction. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison is prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. CBS Boston reported that Brown previously pleaded guilty to charges including armed assault with intent to murder. If that conviction qualifies — and it appears that it would — federal law already made it illegal for him to possess a firearm or a single bullet, before Massachusetts added its own layers of restriction. The major prohibitions politicians point to already existed. None of them physically stopped him. A licensed civilian and a state trooper did.
Was the civilian legally carrying in Massachusetts?
Cambridge Police stated explicitly that the civilian was in legal possession of a firearm. NBC Boston reported that he had a license to carry. Massachusetts requires a License to Carry for handguns; the civilian reportedly met all lawful requirements. He is also a former Marine — but his military service is not what made him capable. His training, license, preparation, and judgment did. Those are available to any responsible adult willing to pursue them seriously.
Does the Cambridge shooting prove everyone should carry a firearm?
No. It proves that responsible, trained, legally armed citizens can make a measurable difference in a life-threatening situation. Carrying a firearm demands maturity, legal knowledge, serious training, continuing practice, situational judgment, and humility. Not everyone is ready. The goal is to become ready — correctly, lawfully, and with full understanding of the responsibility involved.
Who is Tyler Brown and what is his background?
Cambridge Police identified the suspect as Tyler Brown, 46, of Boston. CBS Boston reported Brown had a criminal record going back to 2008, was charged in 2020 with attempting to kill Boston Police officers, and pleaded guilty to eight charges including armed assault with intent to murder. WBUR reported he was released from a psychiatric hospital three days before the Memorial Drive attack and that a parole officer warned police of his dangerousness less than two hours before the shooting. All charges are allegations; Brown is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
What does this mean for New York pistol license applicants?
Cambridge should be a serious reminder that the permit process is the beginning, not the destination. New York applicants need the required 16+2 training, but they also need licensing guidance, legal education on New York Penal Law Article 35 (use of force), safe storage and transport knowledge, and a clear understanding of what happens legally and practically after any defensive use of a firearm.
Can my New York pistol license let me carry in Massachusetts?
No. New York pistol licenses do not confer carry authority in Massachusetts. Massachusetts requires its own License to Carry, and New York does not have a reciprocal recognition agreement with Massachusetts. Carrying in Massachusetts without a Massachusetts LTC — even with a valid New York license — is a serious criminal offense. NY Safe offers a Massachusetts Non-Resident LTC Class for eligible New Yorkers who need a lawful pathway.
Can NY Safe help with both New York and multi-state carry?
Yes. NY Safe offers New York 16+2 concealed carry training and supports responsible applicants pursuing permits for New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Utah, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Washington D.C., and other jurisdictions. The goal is a lawful, informed, multi-state plan — not a random collection of permits from internet forums.
About the Author
Peter Ticali
Founder & Lead Instructor, NY Safe Inc.
NRA Endowment Life Member • NRA & USCCA Certified Instructor • Licensed Firearms Instructor: NY, MD, DC, MA, UT • NY Pistol License Holder Since 1992
Peter Ticali is the founder and lead instructor of NY Safe Inc., a professional firearms training and permit-guidance company serving Long Island, New York City, and the broader Northeast. A New York pistol license holder since 1992, Peter is an FBI Citizens Academy graduate, FBI InfraGard member, Suffolk County Police Citizens Academy graduate, SCPD Shield and NYPD Shield member, and a Sons of the American Legion member. He has been training responsible adults in firearms safety, use of force law, and the New York permit process for decades.
Sources
- Cambridge Police Department — Memorial Drive Shooting Under Investigation (Official Release)
- Associated Press — Man with an assault rifle sprays rounds at drivers near Boston
- CBS Boston — Accused Memorial Drive gunman Tyler Brown tried to kill Boston police officers in 2020
- NBC Boston — Court docs reveal key details about Cambridge shooting
- NBC Boston — Who is Cambridge gunman Tyler Brown?
- WBUR — Alleged Cambridge gunman was released from psychiatric hospital 3 days before shooting
- Everytown Research — Gun Laws in Massachusetts
- ATF — Identify Prohibited Persons (18 U.S.C. § 922(g))
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 269, Section 10 — Carrying firearms
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 140, Section 129C — License to Carry Firearms
Legal Disclaimer
NY Safe Inc. is not a law firm. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. All factual accounts of the Cambridge incident are drawn from official Cambridge Police Department releases, court documents as reported by named news organizations, and named media outlets; all charges are allegations and all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Firearms laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Consult a qualified firearms attorney for advice about your specific situation and state of residence.
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