Rifle used in mass shooting at Texas school made by business founded in SAV

By Paige Phillips

Published: May. 25, 2022 at 12:18 PM EDT

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirms a rifle found in a Texas elementary school with a gunman after Tuesday’s mass shooting was manufactured by Daniel Defense, a business founded in Savannah.

According to a CNN report, the gunman, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, legally purchased two AR platform rifles at a local federal firearms licensee on May 17 and May 20, according to Texas state Sen. John Whitmire who received a briefing from law enforcement Tuesday night.

On May 18, Ramos also purchased hundreds of rounds of ammunition, Whitmire said while citing law enforcement.

The other rifle was found in a truck Ramos crashed in the school’s parking lot, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

In 2009, Daniel Defense expanded and moved into a new manufacturing facility in Black Creek. It has also expanded to a second facility in Ridgeland, South Carolina.

WTOC reached out to Daniel Defense who declined to comment at this time.

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