ATF

Ballistics Imaging Helped Phoenix Police Solve 9 Fatal Shootings. Why Don’t More Departments Make Better Use of It?

ATF

Ballistics Imaging Helped Phoenix Police Solve 9 Fatal Shootings. Why Don’t More Departments Make Better Use of It?

Within about 48 hours of arresting Cleophus Cooksey, Jr. for a double murder on December 17, Phoenix police used ballistic evidence to tie the 35-year-old man to seven additional killings. The technology that police used to make the…

Ann Givens
Gun Store Thefts Rise Again in 2017, Breaking ATF Record

Missing Pieces

Gun Store Thefts Rise Again in 2017, Breaking ATF Record

Burglars stole a record number of firearms from gun stores and other licensed firearms dealers in 2017, according to federal statistics released on Tuesday, extending an upward trend that has spurred calls for new legislation on Capitol Hill. Burglars…

Brian Freskos
The ATF Takes a First Step Toward Reclassifying Bump Stocks

ATF

The ATF Takes a First Step Toward Reclassifying Bump Stocks

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took what could be the first step toward reclassifying bump stocks on Thursday, posting a document that asks manufacturers and retailers how they would be affected if the devices were regulated as…

Ann Givens
ATF to Chicago: Your Release of Detailed Crime Gun Data Was Prohibited Under Federal Law

Chicago

ATF to Chicago: Your Release of Detailed Crime Gun Data Was Prohibited Under Federal Law

"Burying your head in the sand won't change the truth and it won't solve the problem," a mayoral spokesman responds.

Alex Yablon
ATF Official Who Evaluated the Bump Stock’s Legality Pushes Back Against Critics

ATF

ATF Official Who Evaluated the Bump Stock’s Legality Pushes Back Against Critics

When the first bump stock came across Rick Vasquez’s desk in 2010, he knew that his evaluation would take longer than usual. As the senior technical expert for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, it was Vasquez’s…

Ann Givens
ATF

ATF Traces Record Number of Crime Guns for Fourth Straight Year

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives traced more firearms in the past 12 months than in any year on record. The agency performed more than 400,000 gun traces from October of 2016 through the first three weeks…

Ann Givens
GOP Budget Rider Could Cripple Efforts to Keep U.S. Guns Out of Mexico

ATF

GOP Budget Rider Could Cripple Efforts to Keep U.S. Guns Out of Mexico

Republicans in the House are making another run at gutting an ATF rule requiring border-state dealers to report suspect rifle sales.

Alex Yablon
What Gun Regulations Should be “Repealed or Replaced”? The ATF Wants to Know.

ATF

What Gun Regulations Should be “Repealed or Replaced”? The ATF Wants to Know.

Posed in closed-door meetings, the agency's inquiry follows a Trump administration directive to slash government rules.

Ann Givens
ATF Upgrades Alert System for Gun-Store Thefts

ATF

ATF Upgrades Alert System for Gun-Store Thefts

The agency is now emailing dealers instead of just calling them.

Alex Yablon
The ATF Is Shutting Down Businesses It Says Are Hawking Silencers Disguised as Cleaning Tools

ATF

The ATF Is Shutting Down Businesses It Says Are Hawking Silencers Disguised as Cleaning Tools

Sellers of "solvent traps" were pushing the legal envelope. The bureau noticed.

Ann Givens
The ATF Struggles to Oversee Gun Stores. This State Wants to Put Its Own System in Place.

Chicago

The ATF Struggles to Oversee Gun Stores. This State Wants to Put Its Own System in Place.

Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that proponents say could stem the flow of illegal weapons into Chicago.

Alex Yablon
Congress Keeps Scolding the ATF for Botching Operations. Experts Say Lawmakers are Partially to Blame

ATF

Congress Keeps Scolding the ATF for Botching Operations. Experts Say Lawmakers are Partially to Blame

The agency tasked with enforcing federal gun laws hasn’t had a permanent director for 8 of the last 10 years.

Ann Givens
The ATF Was Planning a Chicago Surge Before Trump’s “Send in the Feds” Tweet

Chicago

The ATF Was Planning a Chicago Surge Before Trump’s “Send in the Feds” Tweet

Internal memo called for federal officers to flood the city's highest-crime neighborhoods.

Ann Givens
Democrats on Key House Committee Grill ATF Official Over Proposal to Loosen Gun Regulations

ATF

Democrats on Key House Committee Grill ATF Official Over Proposal to Loosen Gun Regulations

Ronald Turk, second in command at the agency, said his controversial memo was intended to spark an overdue conversation about outdated rules.

Ann Givens
The New Policing Initiative Connecting the Dots Between Small Gun Crimes — in Order to Prevent Big Ones

ATF

The New Policing Initiative Connecting the Dots Between Small Gun Crimes — in Order to Prevent Big Ones

Crime Gun Intelligence Centers seek to make ballistic reports worth their weight in brass when it comes to reducing urban gun violence.

Alex Yablon

Gun violence journalism that informs and empowers.

ATF

Ballistics Imaging Helped Phoenix Police Solve 9 Fatal Shootings. Why Don’t More Departments Make Better Use of It?

Gun Store Thefts Rise Again in 2017, Breaking ATF Record

The ATF Takes a First Step Toward Reclassifying Bump Stocks

ATF to Chicago: Your Release of Detailed Crime Gun Data Was Prohibited Under Federal Law

ATF Official Who Evaluated the Bump Stock’s Legality Pushes Back Against Critics

ATF Traces Record Number of Crime Guns for Fourth Straight Year

GOP Budget Rider Could Cripple Efforts to Keep U.S. Guns Out of Mexico

What Gun Regulations Should be “Repealed or Replaced”? The ATF Wants to Know.

ATF Upgrades Alert System for Gun-Store Thefts

The ATF Is Shutting Down Businesses It Says Are Hawking Silencers Disguised as Cleaning Tools

The ATF Struggles to Oversee Gun Stores. This State Wants to Put Its Own System in Place.

Congress Keeps Scolding the ATF for Botching Operations. Experts Say Lawmakers are Partially to Blame

The ATF Was Planning a Chicago Surge Before Trump’s “Send in the Feds” Tweet

Democrats on Key House Committee Grill ATF Official Over Proposal to Loosen Gun Regulations

The New Policing Initiative Connecting the Dots Between Small Gun Crimes — in Order to Prevent Big Ones