SEATTLE - Agents from the Internal Revenue Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms searched a Tacoma, Wash., gun shop and the store owner's home, teaming up in a new investigation into how a rifle got into the hands of sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad.
The investigation arose from a civil review in which the ATF sought to determine whether Bull's Eye Shooter Supply had been properly documenting gun sales, said Martha Tebbenkamp, an ATF spokeswoman.
She declined to comment further, except to say that owner Brian Borgelt was present during the search at his shop and "was being very cooperative."
Another group of IRS and ATF agents, assisted by Lakewood police, searched Borgelt's home southwest of Tacoma, The News Tribune of Tacoma reported yesterday.
An IRS spokeswoman declined to provide details.
The .223-caliber Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle that authorities believe was used in the sniper shootings was delivered to Bull's Eye on July 2. The store has not been able to produce records showing that the gun was sold, even though dealers are required to keep such records.
Muhammad is awaiting trial in Prince William County, Va., in the Oct. 9 death of Dean Meyers outside a Manassas-area gas station. A Lee Boyd Malvo, 17, is charged with the shooting Oct. 14 of FBI analyst Linda Franklin in neighboring Fairfax County.
The two are accused of shooting 21 people, killing 14.
The investigation arose from a civil review in which the ATF sought to determine whether Bull's Eye Shooter Supply had been properly documenting gun sales, said Martha Tebbenkamp, an ATF spokeswoman.
She declined to comment further, except to say that owner Brian Borgelt was present during the search at his shop and "was being very cooperative."
Another group of IRS and ATF agents, assisted by Lakewood police, searched Borgelt's home southwest of Tacoma, The News Tribune of Tacoma reported yesterday.
An IRS spokeswoman declined to provide details.
The .223-caliber Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle that authorities believe was used in the sniper shootings was delivered to Bull's Eye on July 2. The store has not been able to produce records showing that the gun was sold, even though dealers are required to keep such records.
Muhammad is awaiting trial in Prince William County, Va., in the Oct. 9 death of Dean Meyers outside a Manassas-area gas station. A Lee Boyd Malvo, 17, is charged with the shooting Oct. 14 of FBI analyst Linda Franklin in neighboring Fairfax County.
The two are accused of shooting 21 people, killing 14.