FORT HOOD — One year from the time a 34-year-old soldier, Spc. Ivan A. Lopez, killed three people and injured 16 in Fort Hood, using an unregistered weapon bought at a local Killeen store. It was just one of 45 instances of unregistered weapons entering a Central Texas Army post in 2014.
Over a 10-year period there have been more than 230 instances of soldiers violating Army regulations by bringing an unregistered firearm on to a Central Texas post.
The Killeen Daily Herald reports that a FOIA request revealed the violations occurred from 2004 to 2014. The 45 reports of unregistered weapons last year was the highest number over that 10-year timeframe.
Army regulations stipulate than any service member and their family living on a post must register all personal firearms. The rules do not apply to those living off-post. An Army report in January recommended changes to personal firearms policy, including that soldiers be required to register any privately owned firearm irrespective of whether a soldier lives in public or private housing.
