A shooting in Boston, a carjacking in Washington, D.C., and a robbery in New York—each incident tied to guns bought in the South and trafficked to cities with stringent firearms laws. This is the startling conclusion of a new report compiled by Everytown for Gun Safety, which highlights the role of straw purchasers in this trafficking scheme.
The report examined over 250 firearms obtained from about 20 stores in the Academy Sports + Outdoors chain over three years. While Academy Sports faces no allegations of wrongdoing, the data suggests a distressing trend where licensed gun sellers overlook or fail to detect suspicious purchases.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) identified significant patterns in firearm trafficking since 2017, establishing routes from Southern states to regions with more restrictive firearm regulations. Less than 30% of trafficked guns are recovered in states different from where they were purchased, indicating a pressing need for local law enforcement and initiatives to address this crisis.
Trafficking methods vary, with straw purchases, unlicensed dealers, and theft from licensed sellers as the primary channels. Advocates urge stricter vigilance, stating that common purchasing behaviors, such as buying multiple weapons or using someone else's credit card, should raise red flags for sellers.
Everytown's analysis of cases linked to Academy Sports demonstrates the concerning link between legal sales and crime, prompting calls for both accountability among retail sellers and stricter prosecution of traffickers.
