Chinese college student to be deported after buying guns

[wctriumph]

I have the same question as the OP:

How does the BATFE know that he had a AR-15 and ammo?

[def90]

How exactly is acting like a spoiled rich boi of Beijing a warning sign to a mass shooting? Had he made threats? Was he demonstrating self-destructive behavior?
----
Aloha -- how does referring to a rifle as a sniper rifle pop as a red flag? I realize that in due deference to actual snipers and connotations thereof, many competitions cast themselves as "precision" and not "sniper", but let's be honest...

Per the article the perps actions "alarmed a roommate and a friend" both of which then went to a school official. The school official then contacted law enforcement. I'm guessing that a friend and a room mate would know the guy well enough to know that something had changed and was not right in him other than simply dying his hair and buying a Corvette. The article doesn't even go in to what these two may have witnessed or told the school and law enforcement.

[def90]

I have the same question as the OP:

How does the BATFE know that he had a AR-15 and ammo?

The first paragraph states that a friend of his and a room mate went to school officials with the info. I would guess that they told the school what the guy was doing, that he had guns and was not acting normal. The school then went to law enforcement.

As far as this goes:

"Campus police received information that Sun had altered his appearance and his behavior was changing, the chief said. They contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and were told Sun owned an AR-15-style rifle and ammunition."

I doubt that is how it actually happened, this is probably an example of poor journalism or simply an idiot in the campus police dept relaying info about something they know little about.

[earplug]

The fine print in the article show that he lost his VISA privilege when he stopped going to school.
I'm curious how his weapons are being disposed. Sold locally by a dealer?

[Aloha_Shooter]

Just visited the campus of UCI. So many brunettes. I checked on the demographics just to satisfy my curiosity - Asian-Americans and non-resident aliens (Chinese and other Asian students) were well over 50% of the student population. Those who identify as White were just under 15% of the population. We were only there a few hours, but I saw no mixed race couples.

FWIW, Asians have to score about 10% above Caucasians with similar grades and extracurricular activities and I can't even estimate HOW much higher than African Americans or Hispanics with similar backgrounds to get in the UC system. Don't find too many Asians on the football team or other sports that used to get athletic considerations either ... Been like that for a good 40 years or so; at least you know the ones you saw were academically qualified.

Honestly, I'm surprised about the lack of mixed race couples ... I'd have expected quite a bit of it in the UC schools but maybe UCI is different.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Aloha -- how does referring to a rifle as a sniper rifle pop as a red flag? I realize that in due deference to actual snipers and connotations thereof, many competitions cast themselves as "precision" and not "sniper", but let's be honest...

How is it NOT a red flag when combined with the other data? Who do you know that refers to their target, hunting, or competition rifles as "sniper rifles"?

[Irving]

Every single gun owner I know that played first person shooter video games for years before they got into guns.

[Rucker61]

Honestly, I'm surprised about the lack of mixed race couples ... I'd have expected quite a bit of it in the UC schools but maybe UCI is different.

Admittedly a very small sample size, subject to error on the surveyor's part.

[Gman]

Every single gun owner I know that played first person shooter video games for years before they got into guns.

...or somebody that comes from a nation where guns have a military context much larger than history of civilian ownership.