El Paso shooting suspect says AK-style gun came from Romania

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — The suspected gunman in the deadly mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart earlier this month told police that the AK-style rifle he used in the attack came from Romania, according to an investigative report.

The Texas Tribune reported Wednesday that Patrick Crusius, 21, told police he ordered the weapon online before picking it up at a gun store near his suburban Dallas home. The Tribune cited a Texas Department of Public Safety document that also says the suspect told police he purchased thousands of rounds of ammunition from Russia.

Crusius told them the Romanian rifle was delivered to Gun Masters, a gun store in Allen, Texas, according to the report. There is no gun store by that name in Allen, but there is a store called Gunmaster in nearby Plano.

El Paso police said shortly after the shooting that killed 22 people that the rifle was purchased legally .

Experts say buying guns online is common.

"Just like any other retail, brick-and-mortar is taking a back seat to the internet," said David Prince, the owner of Dallas-area Eagle Gun Range.

To legally purchase a weapon online, the buyer must have it shipped to a licensed gun dealer who records the firearm's make, mark and serial number before performing a background check. If the person passes, they can have the gun.

This allows law enforcement to identify the original buyer of a gun if it's used in a crime or is stolen.

When done right, the process is "one of the most effective tools in a criminal investigation," said Richard Marianos, a former assistant director at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Police have not named the specific model of the rifle used in the attack. According to a warrant, Crusius told investigators it was an AK-47 assault rifle. Police have...