Littleton residents outraged by gun shop cluster in old mill
LITTLETON - Confusion turned to anger at a Littleton Select Board meeting Wednesday night over a cluster of gun dealers inside an old mill building.
"Why? Why are we selling them here?" Megan Rank questioned the Select Board.
Rank is one of many parents and residents who are worried about the cluster of gun dealers inside the so-called Mill building at 410 Great Road.
The Littleton mill has become the largest collection of federally licensed gun dealers in the nation.
"Now you're telling me the town has given 80 business certificates to be in the Mill Building... again, very close to our schools," said another concerned resident.
But not everyone at the public meeting is concerned. James Nolan's family has lived in Littleton for decades.
"I've been doing business with them for years. I have no problem," he said
Inside the mill, you'll find shops to buy guns, ammunition and parts to assemble a weapon.
"We have at least two vendors running AR-building specials. We know they are selling parts to assemble," explained Rank.
"Is this breaking the law?" questioned another resident.
Attorney General Maura Healey hasn't filed any charges against the gun dealers, and Littleton Police Chief Matthew Pinard told WBZ-TV he doesn't see anything illegal or dangerous about them.
"It's quite possible that could happen, but they can also go on the Internet and go from website to website to website and have it delivered," Chief Pinard said.
William Parker owns Battle Road Firearms inside the mill and defended his business before the board.
"If everybody is permitted, licensed, and they've gone through all the background checks and everything... they're not there to break laws, you know," said Parker.
The majority of residents were outraged that the Select Board approved so many gun dealers in their small town and wants them forced out of the mill.