BACKFIRE

Garland Shooter Got Gun in Cartel Sting

During Operation Fast and Furious.

The gunman who shot and wounded a Garland, Texas security guard in May outside a convention center hosting a Muhammad cartoon contest bought his weapon at a gun shop that was the center of a federal sting operation targeting Mexican drug lords and traffickers. Operation Fast and Furious allowed Lone Wolf Trading Co. in Phoenix to sell weapons to criminals and straw purchasers in order to trace the guns back to cartels and smuggling networks. But the shop also sold a 9-millimeter pistol to Nadir Soofi, a Dallas-born pizza shop owner. His history of misdemeanor drug and assault charges effected a seven-day hold on his gun transaction, but it was inexplicably lifted after 24 hours. Soofi was killed by police after opening fire at the convention center.