I feel the need to address an error in the editorial Campus security goes beyond building safety (SN 2/18). In the editorial, it’s stated that the Northern Illinois University shooter purchased gun accessories online. A few paragraphs later, it says the “fact” that guns and gun accessories are sold online makes it easier for the wrong people to get their hands on weapons.

This is not an accurate representation of the rules concerning gun ownership. The article conveys the impression that buying a gun is as simple and easy as buying a book on Amazon.com, and this is simply not the truth. There are Web sites that offer guns for sale — that point is not in dispute. Currently under federal law, to purchase a shotgun or rifle one must go to a dealer and fill out a background check form, which is phoned into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The state laws on handguns vary, but to purchase a handgun in Michigan, one must obtain a license to purchase a pistol, which also requires a background check. Once a pistol has been purchased, it must then be brought to the police station for verification.