The company that made the rifle used to kill 21 people in a Texas elementary school was one of hundreds of gun makers and merchants that got emergency small-business aid from the federal government.
The company received a $3.1 million loan in April 2020 just days after the relief fund opened, when many companies were struggling to break through a crush of applications.
According to government records, the loan was used to support 200 employees. The Daniel Defense loan was forgiven by the government in June 2021.
A Daniel Defense rifle was used in the attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, according to a state police briefing. Nineteen children and two adults were killed at the school. The teenager wounded his grandmother before attacking the school.
The company wrote in a statement on its website that it was deeply sad by the events in Texas.
Company representatives didn't respond to questions about the loan. The Small Business Administration did not respond to a message on Thursday.
Virtually every small business in America is eligible for help through the Paycheck Protection Program, which requires applicants to certify economic uncertainty.
The federal government gave support to nearly 500 gun makers and retailers. According to a New York Times analysis, the industry took in $125 million in loans.
Daniel Defense received a loan of $1 million or more. RemArms, a Georgia company, got the maximum loan available through the relief fund, which was $10 million.
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