NPR

Salesman Who Sold Gun To Las Vegas Shooter: 'Could I Have Stopped This? No'

Authorities have identified 47 firearms owned by Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock. Chris Michel says he sold one of these guns to Paddock, who'd visited his gun store several times.
The remnants of a memorial for the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting.

Like many Americans, Chris Michel woke up Monday morning to the horrific news of the massacre in Las Vegas, which left 58 people dead as well as the shooter Stephen Paddock and nearly 500 injured.

Michel, who owns Dixie GunWorx, tells NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro that he remembers Paddock coming into his store on three occasions earlier this year. Michel says he spends a lot of time talking with his customers, so he can screen them. To him, Paddock didn't seem suspicious, or off in any way. So Michel sold him a gun.

Authorities have identified 47 firearms owned by Paddock — and one of them was sold to him by Michel.

Now in the aftermath of the mass shooting, Michel is doing some soul searching. He discusses with Lulu all that has been going through his mind since he heard the identity of the shooter.


Interview Highlights

On what questions he's been asking himself

The biggest thing ... for me, specifically because I was the one that ended up doing the final sale to him is: Did I

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR1 min read
Bringing A Tariff To A Graphite Fight
Graphite is sort of the one-hit wonder of minerals. And that hit? Pencils. Everyone loves to talk about pencils when it comes to graphite. If graphite were to perform a concert, they'd close out the show with "pencils," and everyone would clap and ch
NPR3 min read
Hold On To Your Wishes — There's A 'Spider In The Well'
There's trouble in the town of Bad Göodsburg! A wishing well has stopped working! NPR's Tamara Keith talks with Jess Hannigan about her new children's book, "Spider in the Well."
NPR3 min read
US National Security Adviser And Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Hold Security Deal Talks
President Joe Biden's national security adviser met early Sunday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss a wide-ranging security agreement between the countries.

Related Books & Audiobooks