AR-15 is well known among assassins Thomas C. shot Trump with this weapon

Assassin Thomas C. apparently shot Donald Trump with an AR-15. The rifle is well-known and is repeatedly used as a murder weapon.

Keystone-SDA

14.07.2024, 13:37

SDA

According to US media reports, investigators have seized a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The "New York Times" and the "Washington Post", among others, reported that this is the suspected murder weapon.

Externally, the rifle is almost identical to the M16 assault rifle that the manufacturer Colt sells to the military. The AR-15 is the version for civilians. Unlike the military version, this weapon is technically not capable of sustained fire. Experienced shooters can nevertheless fire a large number of shots in a very short time.

Such a weapon does not weigh much. It is offered in different versions by several manufacturers, so the firepower of the rifles varies. On one manufacturer's website, it currently costs around 1,000 US dollars (920 euros), depending on the version.

Rifle already used in shooting rampages

In recent years, the rifle has been used repeatedly in the USA by shooters who have killed several people in so-called "mass shootings". The rifle is therefore particularly controversial in the ongoing debate about tightening gun laws in the USA.

AR-15 rifles were banned for several years, but have been freely available again since 2004. Supporters argue that millions of Americans value the AR-15 as a hunting rifle, for self-defense or for hobby use at shooting ranges.