Watch CBS News

Gun Laws

What happens when a felon gets caught with a gun?

Communities have rallied in support of our first responders after two high-profile killings since the beginning of the year. Three were killed in Burnsville in February, and a Minneapolis officer shot to death just last month. The shooter in each case was a felon prohibited from having a gun. So what's being done about the problem? And who's feeling the impact the most? WCCO's Jennifer Mayerle investigates felons with firearms.

How hundreds had their gun rights restored in Minnesota in the last 5 years

Last month Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell was shot and killed by a felon who shouldn't have had a gun. Before that, in February, a similar scene played out in Burnsville, killing three first responders. In that case, the shooter, Shannon Gooden had asked the courts to restore his gun rights. He was denied. But what about the hundreds of other felons who asked for the same thing in the past 5 years? WCCO Senior Investigative Reporter Jennifer Mayerle dug into the data to get a clearer picture of how the system works.

Show More
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.