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Report Highlights How Guns Flow Into New York From States With Weaker Laws Report Highlights How Guns Flow Into New York From States With Weaker Laws
(about 17 hours later)
The .40-caliber pistol used to kill a New York City police officer last year was bought in South Carolina on Feb. 28, 2008.The .40-caliber pistol used to kill a New York City police officer last year was bought in South Carolina on Feb. 28, 2008.
A 9-millimeter pistol used in a murder-suicide in a Buffalo neighborhood had been bought in Georgia on June, 12, 2010, just 102 days before the double shooting.A 9-millimeter pistol used in a murder-suicide in a Buffalo neighborhood had been bought in Georgia on June, 12, 2010, just 102 days before the double shooting.
And a 9-milimeter pistol used to fatally shoot a couple on Long Island in 2010 was bought in South Carolina on April 10, 2009.And a 9-milimeter pistol used to fatally shoot a couple on Long Island in 2010 was bought in South Carolina on April 10, 2009.
Those are among the 52,915 guns used in crimes that law enforcement in New York State recovered from 2010 to 2015. Of those guns seized, 34,344 — or about three-quarters of the firearms that could be traced to their purchase site — were originally bought outside New York, according to a report to be released on Tuesday by the state attorney general’s office. Those are among the 52,915 guns used in crimes that law enforcement in New York State recovered from 2010 to 2015. Of those guns seized, 46,514 could be traced to their purchase site and three-quarters of those firearms were originally bought outside New York, according to a report to be released on Tuesday by the state attorney general’s office.
Almost 90 percent of the handguns used in crimes that were recovered largely came from six states along Interstate 95, according to the report, called “Target on Trafficking, New York Crime Gun Analysis.” The six states are Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. Almost 90 percent of the handguns that were recovered largely came from six states along Interstate 95, according to the report, called “Target on Trafficking, New York Crime Gun Analysis.” The six states are Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.
The report, through an analysis of gun-trace data, highlights how guns flow into New York from states with weaker gun laws and intends to put pressure on other states and the federal government to pursue stricter gun laws. An accompanying online interactive, Tracing Analytics Platform, lets residents look at gun data in their neighborhoods.The report, through an analysis of gun-trace data, highlights how guns flow into New York from states with weaker gun laws and intends to put pressure on other states and the federal government to pursue stricter gun laws. An accompanying online interactive, Tracing Analytics Platform, lets residents look at gun data in their neighborhoods.
“It’s time for the federal government — and other states — to take common-sense measures and ensure weak gun laws won’t continue to take the lives of New Yorkers,” the attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, said in a statement on Monday.“It’s time for the federal government — and other states — to take common-sense measures and ensure weak gun laws won’t continue to take the lives of New Yorkers,” the attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, said in a statement on Monday.
The attorney general’s office collected and analyzed the data to better understand the continued gun violence in New York, despite the state’s stricter gun laws, the office said. The interactive allows local law enforcement to reach their own conclusions about how to address crime guns in their area, the office added.The attorney general’s office collected and analyzed the data to better understand the continued gun violence in New York, despite the state’s stricter gun laws, the office said. The interactive allows local law enforcement to reach their own conclusions about how to address crime guns in their area, the office added.
An article in The New York Times on Friday about national gun control laws examined 130 of the country’s worst shootings and reviewed state and federal laws to show how porous gun regulations are and some of the difficulties in tightening them.An article in The New York Times on Friday about national gun control laws examined 130 of the country’s worst shootings and reviewed state and federal laws to show how porous gun regulations are and some of the difficulties in tightening them.
There are also no federal regulations against transporting guns across state lines. The United States Senate failed to pass a bill in April 2013 to outlaw gun trafficking, and a sponsor of that legislation, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand of New York, said she plans to reintroduce the bill in the next session.There are also no federal regulations against transporting guns across state lines. The United States Senate failed to pass a bill in April 2013 to outlaw gun trafficking, and a sponsor of that legislation, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand of New York, said she plans to reintroduce the bill in the next session.
“Its common sense reform that saves lives,” Ms. Gillibrand, a Democrat, said. “It’s common sense reform that saves lives,” Ms. Gillibrand, a Democrat, said.
Even without federal support, New York could enact stricter laws on trafficking, the report says, noting the Gun Kingpin bill, introduced in the State Senate this year. The bill would make the illegal sale or possession of more than 20 firearms a higher-level felony.Even without federal support, New York could enact stricter laws on trafficking, the report says, noting the Gun Kingpin bill, introduced in the State Senate this year. The bill would make the illegal sale or possession of more than 20 firearms a higher-level felony.
“This would fill a major gap in our state’s otherwise strong and sensible gun laws,” said Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, a Democrat who supports the bill.“This would fill a major gap in our state’s otherwise strong and sensible gun laws,” said Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, a Democrat who supports the bill.
The attorney general’s report portrays the state as a victim of inadequate gun laws at both the state and federal level.The attorney general’s report portrays the state as a victim of inadequate gun laws at both the state and federal level.
“The federal government’s inaction on sensible national gun laws, coupled with the lax laws of other states, makes states like New York a target of trafficking,” the report says.“The federal government’s inaction on sensible national gun laws, coupled with the lax laws of other states, makes states like New York a target of trafficking,” the report says.
The state has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, and the regulations in New York City are even stricter. The state requires residents to register handguns and obtain permits to buy and carry handguns. It also requires handgun owners to be licensed. The city extends those restrictions to rifles and shotguns.The state has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, and the regulations in New York City are even stricter. The state requires residents to register handguns and obtain permits to buy and carry handguns. It also requires handgun owners to be licensed. The city extends those restrictions to rifles and shotguns.
The report offers several recommendations to strengthen gun laws at the federal level, including closing a loophole that allows people to buy firearms at gun shows, requiring universal background checks, making gun trafficking a federal crime and loosening federal restrictions on tracing guns. Additionally, the report suggests that states require licenses for all handgun owners.The report offers several recommendations to strengthen gun laws at the federal level, including closing a loophole that allows people to buy firearms at gun shows, requiring universal background checks, making gun trafficking a federal crime and loosening federal restrictions on tracing guns. Additionally, the report suggests that states require licenses for all handgun owners.
Nicholas Suplina, the senior adviser in the attorney general’s office who wrote the report, said in an interview: “These six states are New York’s problem. When you think of a local problem, you assume it’s a local problem. But the combined statistics — 74 percent of all guns originate out of state and 57 percent of all recovered guns were out-of-state handguns — those were surprising. And that should sound alarms.”Nicholas Suplina, the senior adviser in the attorney general’s office who wrote the report, said in an interview: “These six states are New York’s problem. When you think of a local problem, you assume it’s a local problem. But the combined statistics — 74 percent of all guns originate out of state and 57 percent of all recovered guns were out-of-state handguns — those were surprising. And that should sound alarms.”
But John R. Lott Jr., the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center in Pennsylvania, disagreed. “That’s like finding out a lot of cars in New York come from another state,” he said. “Pick a state in the South — you’ll find a lot of guns from those states come from out of state originally. Products move around.”But John R. Lott Jr., the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center in Pennsylvania, disagreed. “That’s like finding out a lot of cars in New York come from another state,” he said. “Pick a state in the South — you’ll find a lot of guns from those states come from out of state originally. Products move around.”
“Here’s the problem,” he continued. “Let’s say I could snap my fingers and cause all guns and illegal drugs from being in the country. How long until those illegal drugs and guns came back into the country? Twenty minutes from El Paso?”“Here’s the problem,” he continued. “Let’s say I could snap my fingers and cause all guns and illegal drugs from being in the country. How long until those illegal drugs and guns came back into the country? Twenty minutes from El Paso?”
The National Rifle Association did not respond to a request for comment.The National Rifle Association did not respond to a request for comment.
Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut and a founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions, a political action committee, has pushed for gun regulations since his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was shot in Tucson in 2011. The couple have worked closely with Mr. Schneiderman on the issue.Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut and a founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions, a political action committee, has pushed for gun regulations since his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was shot in Tucson in 2011. The couple have worked closely with Mr. Schneiderman on the issue.
“This important new report gives our lawmakers even more evidence that, when enacted, smart, responsible gun laws work,” Mr. Kelly said in a statement. “They reduce crime and protect communities. As Attorney General Schneiderman has shown with this report, the Washington gun lobby’s oft-repeated canard that gun laws are ineffective is just that.”“This important new report gives our lawmakers even more evidence that, when enacted, smart, responsible gun laws work,” Mr. Kelly said in a statement. “They reduce crime and protect communities. As Attorney General Schneiderman has shown with this report, the Washington gun lobby’s oft-repeated canard that gun laws are ineffective is just that.”