But the system apparently fell short of flagging him. Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told The Two-Way in an email, "Initial information indicates that Kelley's domestic violence offense was not entered into the National Criminal Information Center database by the Holloman Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations."
But the system has been struggling under the weight of an exponential increase in background checks in recent years. In 1998, NICS reported fewer than 1 million. By last year, it had conducted more than 27 million a record.
USA Today reports:
"The mere record of arrest is not enough to prohibit a gun sale, so FBI analysts must race to fill such information gaps within the three-day time period allotted for each check. The search sometimes requires inquiries to police departments, courthouses and prisons across the country to match final dispositions to the incomplete records."
Despite the rise in firearm sales in recent years, President Trump who is backed by the National Rifle Association seems to have actually been bad for gun business. Since his election, the number of background checks dipped down, following a surge in 2016 amid fears that a Hillary Clinton presidency might limit gun sales.