A Blaine man is facing federal charges after authorities say he 'straw-purchased' guns that have been linked to multiple crimes, including the fatal shootings of two young girls in Minneapolis.
Prosecutors say more than a dozen guns purchased by William Burton ended up in the hands of criminals, including those used in separate 2021 shootings that killed 9-year old Trinity Ottoson-Smith and 6-year old Aniya Allen.
Allen's grandfather KG Wilson reacted to the news.
"it's given me a new drive and a new push when I felt like all the doors were closed, now today a door has just opened," says Wilson, " I feel like I can go in and start doing some things now."
Federal charging documents allege Burton falsely claimed on the required ATF forms that he was buying guns for himself, but investigators say he was acting as a straw buyer and was even warned by the ATF about his actions.