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Surveillance Video Released Of Murder-Suicide Suspect Buying Gun

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Some haunting new video has been released of a man purchasing a gun, days before being accused in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend before turning the weapon on himself.

The surveillance video shows Bryan Springer in a Bridgeville gun shop.

He tries out the 9mm Glock, which police say was the weapon used in the shooting incident two days later in an apartment in Pittsburgh's Oakland section.

Springer's girlfriend, Chalalai Chaihirunkarn, was shot and killed. Then, police say Springer turned the gun on himself. The guy who sold him the gun finds it hard to believe.

"I was shocked," said Jason Doetzer, the owner of Iron City Armory in Collier Township. "I mean I've been open for two years, I've sold lots and lots of guns and I've never had an issue."

The bodies of Springer and his girlfriend were found in the apartment building on Thursday. She had been shot in the head and chest. He had a gunshot wound to the head.

The gun shop owner says he had no reason to suspect anything like.

"He told me his purpose was range, as well as home defense, which is a very common reason people come in," said Doetzer.

Springer had no problem passing a computerized background check. He didn't have a criminal history. There were no signs of mental illness.

"He basically showed an interest in taking classes. There was nothing out of the ordinary with the guy," Doetzer said.

But two days later, his 26-year-old girlfriend, a Carnegie Mellon University student was dead. Springer was a CMU alumnus who worked for the university. Both were from Thailand.

Police say the couple had trouble in the past, but there were no protection from abuse orders filed.

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