An executive for the Little Rock, Arkansas, airport who was killed in a shootout with federal agents this week had been under investigation over gun sales, search warrant records unsealed Thursday show.
Bryan Malinowski, 53, who was executive director of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, was shot after he opened fire at federal agents who arrived to serve a warrant Tuesday morning, officials said.
Malinowski died Thursday, his family said. His brother has said he had been shot in the head.
An affidavit filed by an agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that was unsealed Thursday says the search involved an investigation into the sale of firearms without a license.
Malinowski opened fire on ATF agents who tried to serve a search warrant at his Little Rock home at around 6 a.m. Tuesday, that agency and Arkansas State Police have said.
One ATF agent was shot and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, state police said.
The ATF said that “while ATF agents were serving the search warrant, a subject of the investigation opened fire at ATF agents resulting in an agent-involved shooting when an agent returned fire.”
The investigation began in November 2023 when authorities in Canada received a photo of firearms from a confidential informant, and after visible serial numbers showed they were bought by Malinowski, the affidavit says.
Investigators alleged in the document that Malinowski bought more than 150 guns between May 2021 and Feb. 27, and sold guns, including at gun shows.
Six guns were later recovered in the commission of a crime, and three others were bought by undercover ATF agents at gun shows, the document says. One of the guns cited in the affidavit was found on a 15-year-old Norteno gang member in California in 2022.
No charges have been filed against Malinowski. The documents unsealed relate to a search warrant looking for evidence.
Malinowski’s family said in a statement Thursday that they have “endured an…
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