Flint Airport Attacker Tried Buying Gun in Macomb; Wasn't Watched by FBI or Canada

Update: Thursday, 9:45 p.m. --  Amor Ftouhi, the man charged with stabbing an airport security officer in Flint, tried to buy a gun at the Gibraltar Trade Center in Mt. Clemens shortly after arriving in the U.S. on Friday, FOX 2's M.L. Elrick reports. Guns and knives are sold there. He bought a knife after being refused a gun.

A Congressional source tells WXYZ that Ftouhi was turned away from buying a gun because of his citizenship. 

The owner of the trade center released a statement to WXYZ, saying in part, "This is an active investigation by the FBI and Gibraltar is cooperating completely. Any statements or details must come from the proper law enforcement officials."

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From Earlier Thursday

Amor M. Ftouhi, 49, the Montreal man charged with stabbing an airport police officer in the neck at the Flint airport on Wednesday, was unsuccessful in an attempt to purchase a gun in the U.S., but did buy a knife here, the FBI says.

FBI's David P. Gelios

David P. Gelios, head of the Detroit FBI, spoke Thursday about the weapons, but declined to give specifics at a downtown Detroit news conference.

He said Ftouhi entered the U.S. legally by car at Lake Champlain, N.Y., on June 16 and was in Michigan last Sunday -- two days later.

"I can't say definitely he wasn't here sooner, but we show activity in Michigan on June 18," said Gelios, who conducted the press conference with acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Lemisch to talk about the attack on airport officer Lt. Jeff Neville, who is in stable condition.

He said that Ftouhi had not been flagged or monitored at any time by the FBI or Canadian authorities.

"We continue to have no information that suggests Ftouhi's attack on Lt. Neville was part of a wider plot, nor do we have any indication he was aided in this incident or had any associates associated to this  incident.

Why Flint's airport?

Gelios said the FBI is investigating that,and said he was looking for an international airport and he apparently picked the Bishop International Airport.

Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Lemisch

Ftouhi had no ticket to travel and had left his car parked at the Flint airport, where the FBI examined its contents.

Additional charges are likely, says Acting U.S. Attorney Lemisch. He gave no details, but suggested terrorism charges could come if the evidence points that way.

Ftouhi had yelled “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great” in Arabic) as he carried out the attack, federal authorities say.