Two Milwaukee police officers are entered a suit Monday against Badger Guns for selling the gun used to shoot officers in the face in a 2009 incident.
Milwaukee Police Department officers Bryan Norberg and Graham Kunisch were shot in June 2009 by 18-year-old Julius Burton, both sustaining lifelong disabilities. Burton was too young to buy the gun himself at the time, but the lawsuit alleges Badger Guns allowed another man to buy the gun, knowing he was intending to give it to Burton.
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence filed suit on behalf of Norberg and Kunisch.
“Badger Guns needs to be held accountable for irresponsibly supplying guns to criminals who have shot and seriously wounded brave Milwaukee police officers,” Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said in a statement.
The suit alleges Badger Gun engaged in a “straw sale” by selling to Jacob Collins knowing he was going to give the gun to Burton.
Both Collins and Burton allegedly entered the store together, where Burton identified the gun he wanted and Collins purchased it.
When filling out the background information forms, Collins first marked the box saying the gun was not for him, until the a Badger Guns employee told him to change it to say Collins was the actual buyer before selling the gun to him, according to the suit.
According to the criminal complaint, Norberg and Kunisch tried to stop Burton as Burton was riding his bicycle a month after the sale. When Burton ran and was subsequently caught by the officers, he shot Kunisch through the eye, neck and head, and Norberg was shot in the mouth and right shoulder.
Six Milwaukee police officers, including Norberg and Kunisch, have been injured in the last two years with guns sold by Badger Guns or its father company, Badger Outdoors.
The Brady Center filed a suit on behalf of injured officers Alejandro Arce and Jose Lopez III Oct. 28, alleging Badger Guns negligently sold a gun to a gang member who then shot Arce and Lopez when the officers intervened in a gang fight.
According to the Brady Center, Badger Guns ranks as the number one seller of crime guns in America, selling more guns linked to crime in a year than any other dealer.
Badger Guns could not be reached for comment as of press time.
