AR - Bryan Malinowski, 53, airport executive, involved in home shootout with ATF during warrant service - Little Rock, 19 Mar 2024

[caradana]

Fascinated by this one. I get an early-morning raid on-site rather than attempting an arrest at a federally regulated workplace; don’t think that shutting down an international airport and interrupting travel for hundreds if not thousands was necessary, if the charges were weapons sales. That said: I’m not sure that’s the extent of charges. MOO: I anticipate we may see more provocative charges.

 

[Cryptic]

Seriously wondering what this guy was up to that resulted in an ATF raid like this.

Me too.

I am thinking that what ever it was, it must have been pretty large scale.

At the end of the day, the ATF is aware that some weapons violators actually want to have a shoot out with them. Likewise, the ATF does not want to give anti government types a new martyr.

Thus the ATF tolerates a certain amount of creativity and also tolerates a variety of other "Aw shucks..." type issues with paper work so long as it is not repetitive.

I knew a gun store owner once who had to inform the ATF during an audit that he could not account for several pistols as an employee had stolen them and altered the store records to conceal the thefts. The dreaded ATF's response? "We understand that those things happen- is everything else in order?"

Buying or brokering stolen guns- either regular or say, ultra high end hand crafted shot guns? I imagine that could get ATF attention- but likely not after just one, or two, or three instances....

A FFL holder conducting private sales (an FFL holder must always function as an FFL holder)? Ditto with stolen guns. Will get ATF attention. But.... probably not after just one, two or three such illegal sales.

 

[Cryptic]

Fascinated by this one. I get an early-morning raid on-site rather than attempting an arrest at a federally regulated workplace; don’t think that shutting down an international airport and interrupting travel for hundreds if not thousands was necessary...

Very well said and makes perfect sense.

 

[Betty P]

Interesting that the ATF decided to enforce gun laws on the books. Many local governments don’t do that. Buying and selling 150 firearms illegally was really stupid.

He had a good job with great income, so why mess it up with unlicensed gun sales to criminals?

 

[*LD*]

He previously worked in Miami? I'm wondering if he made some connections there that he kept. . .

 

[Cryptic]

Interesting that the ATF decided to enforce gun laws on the books. Many local governments don’t do that. Buying and selling 150 firearms illegally was really stupid.

Wow, 150 illegal sales is way beyond a tolerable "Aw shucks, I thought that...."

 

[grannygates]

“According to the affidavit, Malinowski would purchase guns through legal means, checking off a box on the purchase form that he was buying the gun for himself. He would then resell the just-purchased guns in as little as 24 hours through gun shows where he maintained a table or through private sales.”
6 of the 150 were found to be connected to a crime.

Released search warrant affidavit shows details of ATF case against Little Rock airport executive Bryan Malinowski

The affidavit detailing the ATF case against the Little Rock airport executive who was shot and killed by federal agents serving a search warrant at his home has been released.

www.kark.com

Another man from Arkansas was arrested for literally the same thing in 2022. I can’t see where he’s been sentenced to get an idea of what that would look like. I don’t have an awareness of what a sentence would be for this type of crime.

Little Rock man indicted on federal charges of selling guns in New York that were bought in Arkansas | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

A Little Rock man believed to have acted as a "straw purchaser" of at least 137 guns in Arkansas, many of which were later recovered in New York City, was arraigned this week in federal court in Little Rock on a warrant from the Eastern District of New York, where he has been charged in the matter.

www.arkansasonline.com

 

[LadyL]

That could of been a consideration.

In regards to weapons at the airport, I suspect the answer maybe uhmmm.... "complex":

"No" by regulation- but the director is probably not searched very often. And.... some people are just not good at following the same rules that they expect others to follow.

good point

 

[LadyL]

ummm pretty sure they'll be backtracking this statement:

The family said they had a chance to see the still yet to be released affidavit in the case, noting that they were concerned with its allegations but contending that it still would not justify a morning raid.

“At worst, Bryan Malinowski, a gun owner and gun enthusiast, stood accused of making private firearm sales to a person who may not have been legally entitled to purchase the guns,” the family claimed in the statement. \

Family of Bryan Malinowski releases statement after his death

The family of the Little Rock airport executive shot during a federal raid at his home has issued a statement just hours after the news of his death was announced.

www.kark.com

 

[BrownRice]

ummm pretty sure they'll be backtracking this statement:

The family said they had a chance to see the still yet to be released affidavit in the case, noting that they were concerned with its allegations but contending that it still would not justify a morning raid.

“At worst, Bryan Malinowski, a gun owner and gun enthusiast, stood accused of making private firearm sales to a person who may not have been legally entitled to purchase the guns,” the family claimed in the statement. \

Family of Bryan Malinowski releases statement after his death

The family of the Little Rock airport executive shot during a federal raid at his home has issued a statement just hours after the news of his death was announced.

www.kark.com

I think his family is in shock which is understandable. We can go on and on how only one gun in the hands of someone legally not allowed to buy one can have horrific
Consequences. It will be interesting if more information comes out about exactly what he was doing. Why did he sell these illegally? I didn’t ever consider sellers at gun shows would be able to do this.

 

[rob525]

Brother of airport executive injured in federal agent-involved shooting speaks out

Matthew Malinowski, brother of Bryan Malinowski, spoke with WFMZ-TV over the agent-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday morning.

katv.com

Malinowski's family says he is brain dead from being shot in the head.

To me, the comments from his brother are interesting in that he doesn't seem to deny the ATF coming after his brother, he just takes issue with how they stormed the house. He says they should have used flash bangs or arrested him as he drove to work.

MOO.

The article states that law enforcement were there to execute a search warrant on that address. How would arresting him on his way to work solve anything related to the search warrant? Did they have anything to arrest him for prior to the incident? Did he start shooting as soon as they showed up to serve the warrant? How was law enforcement to that he would start shooting and not allow LE to serve the warrant?

 

[rob525]

The brother may have a point.

Arresting anybody at home would seem to be more inherently dangerous than arresting somebody in an environment that they do not fully control.

As you stated, a traffic stop might of been better- but perhaps they feared he would make an ultra high speed "run for it"? His work might of also been another good choice. Say, the break room where he cannot grab something from his desk?

The cops were there to execute a search warrant on the address from what I read. Do we know if they had grounds to arrest him prior to the search warrant? Perhaps, the search warrant was in support of a forthcoming arrest warrant.

 

[Cryptic]

Why did he sell these illegally? I didn’t ever consider sellers at gun shows would be able to do this.

I am thinking for higher profit margins. Private sales dont require back ground checks and dont require de facto registration.

Thus, they attract certain customers willing to offer a premium price to avoid certain uhmm..... ohhh so bothersome "inconveniences".

As for gun show vendors conducting private transactions.....

It depends on the gun show. Some shows require all table vendors to have licensed. Probably because they dont want to be the "go to" venue for people like M and subsequent transfers to the Nortenos.

Other gun shows permit private transactions. A certain number of these people are selling WW1 and WW2 military rifles to fire arms / history buffs. Others sell hi end collector guns. At one show, I saw a vendor sell a "low serial number" Browning to a very knowledgeable collector for 2K in cash.

But.... both of these types of guns are very unlikely to be passed to the Nortenos, Crips and Aryan Nations. Other vendors, however, sell ordinary guns. This is also legal- so long as it is not done at a commercial level and the show owners allow it.

The warrant, however, emphasizes that M was selling large numbers of AR15 pistols, Glocks and modern Berettas with no collector value. They were winding up with street gangs and even winding up in Canada. M was also actively trying to expand his uhmm..... "business" even further (repeatedly offered to obtain additional weapons that buyers had not asked for).

Thus.... a decision was apparently made to shut M down.

“At worst, Bryan Malinowski, a gun owner and gun enthusiast, stood accused of making private firearm sales to a person who may not have been legally entitled to purchase the guns,” the family claimed in the statement. \

The family's statement is very true. Private fire arms sales are legal. And, now, the "but".....

M had made 150 such sales in a 2 year period. He may of made additional un recorded sales as well (purchased in a private transaction, then resold in a private transaction).

In the end, it was not the act that got M raided, it was the scale of the acts. Commercial fire arms dealers must be licensed. Selling 150 guns is not an "occasional sale".

Likewise, by selling AR15 pistols he was not exactly selling WW2 rifles to history buffs. Then factor in that some were turning up illegally in Canada- which probably prompted a complaint by Canadian authorities to senior DC people.

 

[Betty P]

I think his family is in shock which is understandable. We can go on and on how only one gun in the hands of someone legally not allowed to buy one can have horrific
Consequences. It will be interesting if more information comes out about exactly what he was doing. Why did he sell these illegally? I didn’t ever consider sellers at gun shows would be able to do this.

Gun shows are notorious locations for illegally selling guns. Arkansas has no laws banning the sale of guns to criminals, mentally ill people, etc.

In 2021, Arkansas enacted a bill that nullifies federal gun laws, so yeah, they don't enforce gun laws anymore. That's probably why Federal agents (ATF) had to step in and arrest this gun nut/addict.

Arkansas governor to sign bill nullifying gun restrictions

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday that he'll sign a bill that would bar state and local law officers from helping enforce new and future federal gun restrictions — a move critics say would be unconstitutional and create confusion about which gun limits the state do

apnews.com

 

[LadyL]

I am thinking for higher profit margins. Private sales dont require back ground checks and dont require de facto registration.

Thus, they attract certain customers willing to offer a premium price to avoid certain uhmm..... ohhh so bothersome "inconveniences".

As for gun show vendors conducting private transactions.....

It depends on the gun show. Some shows require all table vendors to have licensed. Probably because they dont want to be the "go to" venue for people like M and subsequent transfers to the Nortenos.

Other gun shows permit private transactions. A certain number of these people are selling WW1 and WW2 military rifles to fire arms / history buffs. Others sell hi end collector guns. At one show, I saw a vendor sell a "low serial number" Browning to a very knowledgeable collector for 2K in cash.

But.... both of these types of guns are very unlikely to be passed to the Nortenos, Crips and Aryan Nations. Other vendors, however, sell ordinary guns. This is also legal- so long as it is not done at a commercial level and the show owners allow it.

The warrant, however, emphasizes that M was selling large numbers of AR15 pistols, Glocks and modern Berettas with no collector value. They were winding up with street gangs and even winding up in Canada. M was also actively trying to expand his uhmm..... "business" even further (repeatedly offered to obtain additional weapons that buyers had not asked for).

Thus.... a decision was apparently made to shut M down.



The family's statement is very true. Private fire arms sales are legal. And, now, the "but".....

M had made 150 such sales in a 2 year period. He may of made additional un recorded sales as well (purchased in a private transaction, then resold in a private transaction).

In the end, it was not the act that got M raided, it was the scale of the acts. Commercial fire arms dealers must be licensed. Selling 150 guns is not an "occasional sale".

Likewise, by selling AR15 pistols he was not exactly selling WW2 rifles to history buffs. Then factor in that some were turning up illegally in Canada- which probably prompted a complaint by Canadian authorities to senior DC people.

yeah we have enough problems without more weapons here

 

[vls12345]

Report: Unlicensed gun dealers sold 68K illegally trafficked firearms

The ATF said the guns were used in 368 shooting cases, which are harder to investigate because unlicensed dealers aren't required to keep records of their sales.

www.11alive.com

 

[vls12345]

Former Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport executive director Bryan Malinowski posthumously awarded bonus | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission on Tuesday met for the first time following the fatal shooting of Bryan Malinowski, the executive director of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field.

www.arkansasonline.com

The Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission on Tuesday met for the first time following the fatal shooting of Bryan Malinowski, the executive director of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field.

Following an executive session, commissioners voted to posthumously award Malinowski a $24,000 bonus.

and

In an email after Tuesday's meeting, airport spokesperson Shane Carter said the bonus will be paid to Malinowski's estate.

 

[Betty P]

Former Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport executive director Bryan Malinowski posthumously awarded bonus | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission on Tuesday met for the first time following the fatal shooting of Bryan Malinowski, the executive director of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field.

www.arkansasonline.com

and

Awarding a posthumous bonus to a criminal? Doesn’t seem fair to taxpayers.

 

[azure]

Awarding a posthumous bonus to a criminal? Doesn’t seem fair to taxpayers.

It's really strange that his workplace is treating him like a hero and his family is treating him like a victim when he died as a result of shooting at federal agents. Beggars belief.

 

[MAHBOOBOO]

Well it's not his wife's or children's fault that he was making money criminally. It will take her awhile (1-3 months) to get money from life insurance/401k/social security/pension whatever. Posthumously paying him a bonus now will end up in their pockets a lot faster than other streams of income will. It's bonus season right now so he was likely going to receive this anyway.

Plus, it's a little hard to not notice the Mena shaped elephant in the room. I'd be interested to hear how long time locals of the area feel about it this incident.