AG Releases Report Showing Gun Trafficking Into New York

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has released a first-of-its-kind analysis of the thousands of "crime guns" recovered by law enforcement.

The analysis shows that 74 percent of all crime guns originated out-of-state and nearly nine out of ten recovered handguns come from out-of-state.

The report, "Target on Trafficking: Analysis of New York Crime Guns",  examines the purchase history of nearly 53,000 crime guns recovered by law enforcement in New York from 2010 to 2015.

A crime gun is any gun connected to a crime that's recovered by law enforcement.

Schneiderman says the data makes on thing clear:

“New York’s strong gun laws are being undermined at every turn by lax laws in other states,” said Schneiderman. “Even as we work to make our streets safer, the illegal guns most often used in violent crimes continue to pour into our state. In fact, three-out-of-four guns used in New York crimes come from out-of-state. When you look at the illegal crime gun problem, it’s the handgun that’s killing people every day – and 86% of recovered handguns come from out-of-state, underscoring the problem New York faces. 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 report also provides key policy recommendations to deal with the trafficking challenges faced by New York State.