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Tulalip man charged for buying firearm used in school shooting

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

The Cabela's Tulalip, located on the Tulalip Reservation in Washington. Photo from Cabela's

A member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington has been charged for buying a gun that was used in a fatal school shooting last year.

Raymond Lee Fryberg Jr., 42, was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The complaint alleges that he acquired five fireams -- including the pistol used in the October 24 shooting at the Marysville-Pilchuck High School -- despite being under a domestic violence protection order in tribal court.

According to the complaint, Fryberg purchased the firearms at Cabela’s, a privately-owned company with a location on the reservation. The store requires buyers to state whether they are currently subject to a domestic violence protection order.

Fryberg marked "no" each time he bought a gun, the complaint reads. The form states that lying could lead to federal charges.

"The permanent order for protection issued against Fryberg by the Tulalip Tribal Court ... was still in effect at the time he purchased the five firearms from Cabela's," the complaint states.

Fryberg was charged under Title 18, Section 922 of the U.S. Code. Section (g) prohibits people who are the subject of domestic violence protection orders from obtaining firearms.

The law does not specifically mention tribal court orders. It merely states "a court order."

Another section of the law states that people who have been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence in "any court" cannot possess firearms either.

The October shooting claimed the lives of four young people and another was seriously wounded by gunfire. The alleged shooter, who turned the gun on himself, was Fryberg's son.

Get the Story:
Father of Marysville school shooter charged with illegal gun possession (The Seattle Times 3/31)
Father of Marysville-Pilchuck shooter arrested on gun charge (KING 5 News 3/31)
Feds: Washington school shooter's father arrested, wasn't allowed to have gun used in killings (AP 3/31)
Father of Marysville School Shooter Jaylen Fryberg Charged With Gun Buy (NBC News 3/31)