How many people are killed with guns each year
in America?
There are over 30,000 gun deaths in America each year, nearly 12,000 of which
are homicides.1
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Do most gun dealers play by the rules?
Yes, most are honest businessmen. In fact, only about 1% of gun dealers are
the source of nearly 60% of crime guns traced nationwide each year.2
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What is trace data?
Trace data is what the ATF produces when a law enforcement agency asks them
about the history of a firearm they recover during an investigation. It tracks
the movement of the firearm from its sale by a manufacturer or importer through
the distribution chain to its first retail purchaser.3
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Do most dealers have crime guns traced to them?
No. In fact, the vast majority of gun dealers across the country - over 85%
- have no crime guns traced to them in a given year.4
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Is gun theft a part of the illegal gun problem?
Yes, gun theft is one of the ways guns are diverted to the illegal market. The
ATF reports that over 13,000 guns are lost or stolen from dealers nationwide
each year. Estimates show that as many as 32% of crime guns are acquired through
theft.5 6
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What does ATF trace data tell us about crime?
The ATF reports that 97% of traced guns are found to have been involved in crime
when the trace requests come from cities that trace all guns recovered during
the course of investigations.7
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Are multiple gun sales linked to crime?
Yes. Multiple sales are a telltale sign of illegal trafficking. Of those handguns
that are used in urban crime within a year of purchase (a clear sign of trafficking),
20% were part of multiple purchases.8 9
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What is a straw purchase?
Typically, a straw purchase is when someone who is not eligible to buy a gun
has another person buy one for them. The ATF has reported that of all the trafficked
guns involved in their criminal investigations, over 30% are diverted to the
illegal market by straw purchasers.10
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How often are gun dealers inspected by the ATF?
In FY 2002, the ATF inspected 4.5% of the estimated 104,000 federal firearms
licensees nationwide. Of those, 42% had violations.11
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Do sting operations change the behavior of gun dealers?
Yes. Research shows that after undercover sting operations in Chicago, IL, and
Wayne County, MI (which includes Detroit), the number of guns moving rapidly
from in-state dealers to crime dropped by 62% in Chicago and 36% in Detroit.12
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