banned imports of semiautomatic assault rifles indefinitely
announced by William J. Bennett, the director of national drug policy
requests from importers to bring in the rifles had nearly tripled those for all of 1988
Law enforcement officers have complained they are often outgunned by drug-traffickers and other criminals who carry high-powered weapons that fire many rounds without needing reloading.
Doctors and nurses in major cities have reported sharp increases in the numbers of deaths and serious wounds from such weapons
firearms dealers attributed the sharp jump in import-permit applications to a fear by the gun-owning public that purchase of the weapons soon would be prohibited
Stephen E. Higgins, the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, estimated that half the owners of assault rifles are collectors.
