A local mother is fighting to close a loophole that allowed her daughter's killer to buy an antique gun online despite being a registered sex offender.
Marie Shade Adebayo died June, 1, 2015 after her ex-boyfriend shot her in the parking lot of a Target store in Germantown, Maryland. She was 24.
On Tuesday, her mother, Cassandra Atkens, urged state lawmakers to bar felons and sex offenders from owning and buying antique guns, just like they are barred from buying other guns.
"I'm trying to help another soul to survive today, and I hope that representatives will hear me today," Atkens said, her voice breaking with emotion.
House Bill 402, also known as Shade’s Law, might have prevented the man who killed Atkens' daughter from getting a gun.
Prosecutors say Donald Bricker Jr. bought an antique black powder revolver online and used it the same day to kill Adebayo.
"It may have loaded like an 1851 weapon, but it fired like a 2017-manufactured modern handgun," the Montgomery County State's Attorney previously told News4.
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As a registered sex offender, Bricker could not buy a traditional gun in Maryland. But his purchase of the antique gun was legal.
"It's not right. There must be something done to prevent that from happening," Atkens said.
Adebayo and Bricker had broken up, but Bricker asked Adebayo to meet him outside Target to talk.
Witnesses outside the store heard the two arguing in a car. Bricker shot Adebayo when she got out of his truck. Then, he stood over her and shot her again at close range.
He was sentenced in October 2016 to life in prison without parole.
