NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - McNair's Murder Prompts Look At Gun Laws

McNair's Murder Prompts Look At Gun Laws

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Lawmakers are thinking about possibly pushing for new gun legislation in Tennessee after the recent murder of Steve McNair and death of Sahel Kazemi.

Police revealed Monday that McNair's 20-year-old girlfriend, Kazemi, was able to purchase a firearm from an undisclosed private source. For some lawmakers it raised questions about the ease of purchasing guns.

"You should not just be able to walk up and down the street and buy a gun," said Sen. Thelma Harper.

While family and friends mourn police are still trying to determine whether or not Kazemi pulled the trigger, killing McNair.

Investigators said Kazemi bought the gun found at the murder scene just two days before the shooting of her and McNair in his Nashville condominium.

"He is in the hand of a just God, a merciful God," said Harper.

Harper wondered if the outcome would have been different had stricter laws been in place, but some feel Kazemi's decision to buy a gun was a legal one. 

"It's not illegal to do, it's just the way the law is written," said James Cavanaugh of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

In Tennessee there is little regulation surrounding the private sale of guns, but age requirements and background checks are required in order to purchase a gun from a firearms dealer.

"A 20-year-old cannot make that purchase from a gun shop. They would be stopped by the gun dealer," said Cavanaugh.

Concerns around the private sales of firearms are still being voiced. Harper said she would back future legislation that calls for not only tracking private gun sales but for minimum age requirements, as well.

"If you are a private individual selling a gun, in some way it has to be registered, with someone, so you can keep track of it," said Harper.

Others are skeptical about the new proposal of further gun legislation.

"Here we have one incident that is getting a lot of publicity, and is that a reason just to go out and change the law, just because of that once incident?" said Rep. Debra Maggart.   

Maggart said the regulation of every gun sale could be extremely costly for the state and was a scenario unlikely to happen during these times of financial strain. She agreed the state should reassess the minimum age requirements.

"I do think we should take a look at that, but again, you have to be careful about what they call the slippery slope, and how we open a door about regulating these private gun sales," said Maggart.

Several lawmakers have privately stated they would be in favor of new gun laws. Congress will be back session in January.