NY Attorney General: 'Criminals Don't Obey Our Gun Laws, so YOU Need More Gun Laws'

The New York Attorney General has released a report detailing the number of out-of-state guns used in crimes in the Empire State.

According to the report, about three-fourths of gun-related crimes were committed with guns purchased along the 95 corridor, which includes the following states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. Of the 52,915 guns confiscated, 34,344 were purchased outside of New York, primarily in the six states along the I-95.

Advertisement

nyagstats

According to Attorney General Eric Schneirderman, other states are putting New Yorkers in harms way:

The data makes one thing abundantly clear: New York’s strong gun laws are being undermined at every turn by lax laws in other states. Even as we work to make our streets safer, the illegal guns most often used in violent crimes continue to pour into our state.

Correction: the data makes it abundantly clear that criminals refuse to follow laws.

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 then provides suggestions for the federal government to stop criminals from ignoring New York’s gun laws which include:

  • Closing the “gun show loophole”
  • Requiring universal background checks
  • Making gun trafficking a federal crime
  • Loosening federal restrictions on tracing guns
  • Requiring every state to require licenses for handgun ownership
Advertisement

The so-called “gun show loophole” doesn’t exist. The current NICS system has flaws that even the National Rifle Association has said need to be fixed. Providing false information on a 4473 is already a federal crime.

Following the release of the report, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill voiced his support for the Attorney General.

There’s no question: one of the biggest challenges this department faces are guns, and in particular handguns, that are trafficked into New York from out-of-state. Attorney General Schneiderman’s report and gun tracing tool provide invaluable insight into where these guns come from and how law enforcement and lawmakers can act to protect New Yorkers.

“That’s like finding out a lot of cars in New York come from another state,” said John R. Lott Jr., President of the Crime Prevention Research Center. “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.”

Outspoken gun control advocate Mark Kelly also addressed the report, saying, “This important new report gives our lawmakers even more evidence that, when enacted, smart, responsible gun laws work. 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.”

Advertisement

The reality is simple: New York is on its way to becoming the next California with their anti-gun laws. Politicians in New York are quick to say they did something good for their community, when, in reality, they’re hurting law-abiding citizens.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member