Wade Michael Page used a 9mm handgun to kill 6 people at a Sikh Temple in Milwaukee before he was killed by police. Several reports say he bought the gun legally, but many of these reports say he was previously dishonorably discharged from the Army. If so, he could not have purchased his gun legally. A discharge from the military under “dishonorable conditions” renders one a prohibited person under the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968, thus prohibited from possessing guns of all types.

There are five types of military discharges, three of which are administrative and two that are issued only by a General Court Martial. The administrative discharges are honorable, general, and undesirable. None of those are issued under “dishonorable conditions”, which only a Court Martial has authority to issue. The two that are under dishonorable conditions and therefor make one a prohibited person are Bad Conduct and Dishonorable discharges. Ordinarily, these discharges are accompanied by prison time because they are issued for commissions of crimes while in the military that are or would be felonies for a civilian, or for very serious violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the list of rules that govern military life.

So either Wade Michael Page did not purchase his 9mm handgun legally, or he did not receive a dishonorable discharge. Can’t be affirmative on both.

NOTE: Even if he was not dishonorably discharged, that still does not indicate just how he obtained his gun and whether in a legal transaction.