Bob ScalesBob Scales

Senior Policy AnalystSenior Policy Analyst

Office for Policy and ManagementOffice for Policy and Management

State DOLHandgun Sales

Handgun Transfers

PoliceIncident ReportsCriminal History

ATFCrime Gun Traces

Multiple SalesStolen Firearms

Crime Analyst

Crime Gun Data System

How Do Criminals Get Their How Do Criminals Get Their Guns?Guns?

Licensed DealersLicensed Dealers Straw PurchasersStraw Purchasers Gun ShowsGun Shows TheftTheft Friends & FamilyFriends & Family Unlicensed SellersUnlicensed Sellers Black MarketBlack Market

State DOL Firearms State DOL Firearms DatabaseDatabase

CountyCounty Licensed Licensed Dealers Active Dealers Active

in 2004in 2004

Total Handgun Total Handgun Sales Sales

in 2004in 2004

KingKing 196196 11,91011,910PiercePierce 109109 6,5336,533SnohomiSnohomishsh

103103 4,5034,503

Location of Dealers of Seattle Location of Dealers of Seattle Crime GunsCrime Guns

Jan 2000-March 2005 2,064 Jan 2000-March 2005 2,064 Gun TracesGun Traces

CA 4.4%

OR 3.5%

AZ 1.3%

ID 1.0%

TX 1.0%

AK 0.9%

FL 0.9%

MT 0.7%

37 Other States 8.5%

Other States22%

Unknown 24%

WA 6%

Within 25 Miles of Seattle

26%

Seattle 21%

Crime Guns with Time-to-Crime Less Crime Guns with Time-to-Crime Less than 3 Yearsthan 3 Years

Dealer LocationDealer Location551 Guns551 Guns

Seattle36%

Other States12%

Other WA5%

Within 25 Miles of Seattle47%

Gun Dealers with Highest Number of Gun Dealers with Highest Number of Seattle Crime Gun Traces Seattle Crime Gun Traces

Jan 2000 to Nov 2005Jan 2000 to Nov 2005

318

117

96

92

82

28

28

22

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Dealer A

Dealer B

Dealer C

Dealer D

Dealer E

Dealer F

Dealer G

Dealer H

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Gun Dealers within 25 miles of Seattle

To

tal H

and

gu

n S

ales

199

5-20

04..

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

% o

f S

ale

s L

ead

ing

to

Cri

me G

un

s....

Handgun Sales 1995-2004 % Crime Guns

Dealer Handgun Sales Leading to Seattle Crime Dealer Handgun Sales Leading to Seattle Crime Gun TracesGun Traces

Characteristics of Characteristics of Gun Crimes in Gun Crimes in

SeattleSeattleATF Crime Gun ATF Crime Gun

Trace InformationTrace Information

Type of Guns Used in Crimes in Type of Guns Used in Crimes in SeattleSeattle

Jan 2000 to Mar 2005 2,064 Jan 2000 to Mar 2005 2,064 GunsGuns

Derringer1%

Semi Pistol53%

Shotgun10%

Rifle16%

Revolver20%

Gender of Crime Gun Gender of Crime Gun Purchasers & PossessorsPurchasers & Possessors

Possessors

Male94%

Female6%

Purchasers

Male90%

Female10%

Gender of Purchasers of Crime Guns from Gender of Purchasers of Crime Guns from Local DealersLocal Dealers

90%

95%

93%

83%

81%

65%

10%

5%

7%

17%

19%

35%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Average for AllDealers

Dealer A

Dealer B

Dealer C

Dealer D

Dealer E

Male Female

Residence of Crime Gun Residence of Crime Gun Purchasers & PossessorsPurchasers & Possessors

Purchasers

Seattle41%

Other WA11%

Within 25 Miles of Seattle26% Other

State22%

Possessors

Seattle83%

Other WA2%

Within 25 Miles of Seattle14%

Other State1%

Age of Crime Gun Purchasers Age of Crime Gun Purchasers 1,677 Purchasers1,677 Purchasers

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Age

Nu

mb

er o

f In

cid

ents

…

Age of Crime Gun PurchasersAge of Crime Gun PurchasersDealer ADealer A

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Age

Per

cen

tage

of

All

In

cid

ents

...

Age of Crime Gun PurchasersAge of Crime Gun PurchasersDealer BDealer B

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Age

Per

cen

tage

of

All

In

cid

ents

…

Age of Crime Gun PossessorsAge of Crime Gun Possessors1,526 Incidents1,526 Incidents

0

15

30

45

60

75

90

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Age

Per

cen

tage

of

All

In

cid

ents

...

Age of Crime Gun PossessorsAge of Crime Gun PossessorsDomestic Violence - 91 IncidentsDomestic Violence - 91 Incidents

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Age

Per

cen

tage

of

All

In

cid

ents

…

Case Example – Using Crime Gun Case Example – Using Crime Gun Trace DataTrace Data

Juvenile used gun in assaultJuvenile used gun in assault Police submitted trace to ATFPolice submitted trace to ATF Gun traced to woman who bought it on the Gun traced to woman who bought it on the

same day of the assaultsame day of the assault ATF requested DOL information on woman’s ATF requested DOL information on woman’s

other handgun purchases – She bought a other handgun purchases – She bought a second handgun on the same daysecond handgun on the same day

Woman arrested and charged in federal Woman arrested and charged in federal courtcourt

Woman said she threw the guns in the Woman said she threw the guns in the garbagegarbage

Case Example – Using Gun Case Example – Using Gun Purchase DataPurchase Data

ATF asked State DOL for individuals with ATF asked State DOL for individuals with highest numbers of handgun purchaseshighest numbers of handgun purchases

Top individual bought over 160 guns in Top individual bought over 160 guns in 20052005

He was found to be selling guns at gun He was found to be selling guns at gun shows shows

Many individuals purchase large Many individuals purchase large numbers of firearms each yearnumbers of firearms each year

ATF sends out letters or visits individualsATF sends out letters or visits individuals

Regional Cooperation and Data Regional Cooperation and Data SharingSharing

Police agencies must trace all Police agencies must trace all crime guns recoveredcrime guns recovered

Police and ATF share Police and ATF share information and coordinate information and coordinate investigation effortsinvestigation efforts

State or Federal prosecution of State or Federal prosecution of gun traffickersgun traffickers