The Lennon gun: Could it happen now?

On a cold night 35 years ago, Mark David Chapman waited for John Lennon outside the New York City apartment building where the former Beatle lived with his wife, Yoko Ono, and his son. When Lennon appeared shortly before 11 p.m., Chapman opened fire with a Charter Arms .38-caliber pistol. Here's a look at how he easily circumvented New York City's restrictive gun laws, and whether it would be possible today.

Where did it come from?

Chapman bought the gun legally six weeks before the shooting from a shop in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Chapman had been living. He reportedly paid $169. Chapman had a permit and no police record, and the dealer wouldn't have had any reason to block the sale.