New Report Raises Gun Control Questions

A new report calls into question a key argument made by gun control supporters in places like New York.  Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mayor Mike Bloomberg and others say new federal laws are needed, because guns are brought in to New York from states with fewer restrictions, like Alabama.   But the 2011 gun-tracking data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms indicate that while many guns used by criminals do indeed come from out-of-state, New York itself remains the largest single source of guns used in New York crimes.  New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg still blames gun traffickers for the violence in his city.  "We just gotta get guns out of the hands of people, and in the end, you gotta go after elected officials, and find out what they hell they're going to do about it," fumed Bloomberg.

The report identified the original retail purchase state for 4,973 of the guns.

— 1,595 were originally bought in New York

— 407 came from Virginia.

— 368 came from Pennsylvania

— 349 came from North Carolina

— 341 came from Florida

— 332 came from Georgia

— 328 came from South Carolina.

— 170 came from Ohio

— 110 came from Texas

— 109 came from Alabama.