LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is responsible for tracking crime guns—tracing guns used in crimes back to their first retail sale—to help police solve crimes.
In a recent USA Today report, the newspaper published a list it said "had been kept secret for more than two decades, since 2003, under the George W. Bush administration."
Through a Freedom of Information Act request, USA Today "showed that the vast majority of guns used in crimes are sold by a small fraction of America’s gun shops."
Southern Nevada is home to 20 of those shops.
USA Today reported that "the chief gun store lobby criticized the release of the list as part of the Biden Administration’s “name and shame” campaign aimed at gun shops, instead of focusing on criminals."
National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Senior Vice President Larry Keane told USA Today he believes the release of store names is "inappropriate and counter-productive," saying, “If shops are named publicly and there are negative articles suggesting they're bad guys, they won't want to cooperate with the ATF, as they've done in the past.”
According to USA Today, "The criteria for being included on the list is relatively simple: at least 25 guns traced to a crime over a year that were purchased within the past three years. It’s known in law enforcement lingo as 'time to crime.' A short period is an indicator of the illegal trafficking of guns.
"Being listed leads to another layer of scrutiny by the ATF: Shops must submit additional quarterly reports on used firearm purchases to help expose the secondary market for guns used in crime. Gun violence prevention groups said the release of the list should incentivize shops to get off of it.
"But it’s also a warning to those shops: Criminals are targeting you for gun trafficking and straw purchasing – where people legally prohibited from buying firearms enlist a stand-in purchaser."
ATF spokeswoman Kristina Mastropasqua wrote in an email to USA Today that, “A number of factors, including geography, sales volume, secondary market transfers by an original lawful purchaser, and the level of sophistication of firearm traffickers, may be involved in a traced crime gun,”
In addition to the 20 stores in Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas, the Nevada list includes two shops in Reno and one in Sparks.
Southern Nevada shops per ATF regulatory data:
- Accuracy Gun Shop on Boulder Highway
- Bargain Pawn on N. Las Vegas Blvd.
- Bass Pro Shop on Dean Martin Dr.
- C-A-L Ranch on Jones Blvd.
- Superpawn on S. Valley View Blvd.
- Discount Gun Source on S. Fort Apache
- Briarhawk on W. Sahara Ave.
- Spurlock's Gun Store on West Pacific Ave. in Henderson
- Lock N Load Tactical on S. Eastern
- Controlled Pair Munitions on W. Cheyenne Ave.
- 2nd Amendment Gun Shop on N. Rancho
- Northwest Arms on N. Tenaya Way
- Nevada Tactical Corporation on E. Flamingo Rd.
- New Frontier Armory on E. Centennial Pkwy. in North Las Vegas
- The Peacemaker Firearms on S. Decatur Blvd.
- Precision Armory on Blue Diamond Rd.
- S&S Wholesale Arms on S. Eastern Ave. in Henderson
- Sheepdog Gun Armory on W. Ann Rd. in North Las Vegas
- Sportsman's Warehouse on Marks St. in Henderson
- Sportsman's Warehouse on Centennial Center Blvd.
