UNCOVERING THE

TRUTH ABOUT
ROCHESTER
CRIME GUNS
Brady’s analysis in this report is based on firearm trace data provided to Brady by
the Rochester Police Department in December 2022.
ABOUT BRADY
Founded in 1974, Brady works across Congress, courts, and communities, uniting gun owners and non-gun
owners alike, to take action, not sides, and end America’s gun violence epidemic. Our organization today
carries the name of Jim Brady, who was shot and severely injured in the assassination attempt on President
Ronald Reagan. Jim and his wife Sarah led the fight to pass federal legislation requiring background checks
for gun sales. Brady continues to uphold Jim and Sarah’s legacy by uniting Americans from coast to coast —
red and blue, young and old, liberal and conservative — against the epidemic of gun violence.
CONTENTS
I. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
II. Key Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
III. Gun Trace Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Trace Data and Supply-Side Solutions to Gun Violence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What Have We Learned From This Data? Which Supply-Side Solutions Should Be Implemented?. . . . . . 8
How Will Supply-Side Solutions Lead to Fewer Gun Deaths and Injuries?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
IV. Findings: Crime Guns in Rochester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
What Types of Guns Are Recovered and Traced?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Ghost Guns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
V. Findings: Firearms Dealers and Indicators of Gun Trafficking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Sources of Crime Guns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Case Study: The Importance of Gun Dealer Security Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Current Source Dealers of Guns Used in Homicides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
VI. Findings: Dealers Responsible for The Most Traces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Dealers Currently Contributing to The Crime Gun Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Redacted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
VII. Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Supra Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

IV BRADYUNITED.ORG
I. INTRODUCTION Every gun used in crime has an origin and a story,
and the overwhelming majority of both begin in
the legal marketplace. Understanding how guns
Rochester, New York, is a midsize city on the
have been diverted from legal commerce to the
shores of Lake Ontario. With 210,606 residents
illegal market and make their way to crime scenes
as of the 2020 census, it is the state’s fourth-
is essential to crafting evidence-based, supply-side
largest city, trailing New York City, Buffalo, and
solutions to the American gun violence epidemic.
Yonkers. Rochester is surrounded by a number
of suburbs, which together comprise the Greater
Rochester area. According to the Federal Bureau There should be nothing controversial about
of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Report, a comprehensive tracing approach to reduce
Rochester’s overall crime rate falls below the gun violence. Epidemiologists and other
national average. However, Rochester’s homicides, scientists routinely study the origins of public
especially firearm-involved homicides, have risen health challenges in order to develop effective
in number since 2019 — and at a higher rate than solutions, treatments, and preventative measures.
many cities of far greater size (see Rochester Unfortunately, the most meaningful national
Police Department’s Open Data Portal for further data on the sources and paths of crime guns
detail on overall and firearm homicides1). have been hidden from researchers, journalists,
policymakers, and the general public — including
the communities most impacted by gun violence
Community groups and local leaders in Rochester
— for two decades. The gun industry successfully
have become increasingly concerned about the
lobbied the federal government to restrict access to
rise in violence, particularly the violence fueled
this critical trace data, and the Bureau of Alcohol,
by firearms. As such, these groups and leaders
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has aided
sought out an analysis of crime guns recovered
the industry’s efforts by adopting an overly broad
in Rochester. Ultimately, the city partnered with
interpretation of regulatory restrictions.
Brady to analyze gun trace data provided by the
Rochester Police Department and produce this
report containing an overview of the findings. The city of Rochester commissioned this report
based on 6,036 crime guns recovered in the city
from 2012 to 2022 identifying — for the first time in

UNDERSTANDING HOW GUNS HAVE BEEN DIVERTED FROM LEGAL

COMMERCE TO THE ILLEGAL MARKET AND MAKE THEIR WAY TO
CRIME SCENES IS ESSENTIAL TO CRAFTING EVIDENCE-BASED,
SUPPLY-SIDE SOLUTIONS TO THE AMERICAN GUN VIOLENCE
EPIDEMIC.

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 3

decades — the gun dealers and manufacturers who It’s important to keep in mind that many of the
appear to supply the most crime guns recovered 6,036 crime guns in the database are likely
locally. In doing so, Rochester joins a small number associated with any number of victims and their
of states and localities that have released crime families. If this were not staggering enough, the
gun trace data or trace reports over the last 20 devastating ripple effects gun violence inflicts
years. These local trace reports are critical for on families, neighborhoods, and communities
developing comprehensive, life-saving solutions cannot be captured by statistics. We welcome
to prevent gun violence. They also highlight the researchers to study this report and build on our
need for the federal government to publicly release analysis; we implore journalists to report on not
national-level trace data in order for policymakers, just the tragic results of gun violence incidents,
community stakeholders, and the American public but how crime guns end up in our communities;
to better understand what feeds the gun violence we urge lawmakers and law enforcement to adopt
epidemic — and which solutions we should develop life-saving, supply-side solutions to gun violence;
to most effectively starve it. and we call on federal, state, and local authorities
across the country to help improve the study of
Gun trace data enables the public, policymakers, gun violence prevention methods by proactively
and law enforcement to hold the gun industry releasing more of the trace data so vital to such
accountable for its role in supplying crime research. The gun industry must adopt meaningful
guns, ultimately saving lives. Equipped with the reforms to ensure firearms are transferred safely
knowledge that a small number of gun dealers are and responsibly, as it is neither fair nor just to ask
contributing directly — and disproportionately — to the communities suffering the immense harms of
the city’s surge in shootings, Rochester’s leaders gun violence to also be responsible for building
can put political, legal, and economic pressure a future free of it. Brady invites you to join in
on crime gun suppliers to implement reforms advocating for solutions that address the supply
needed to ensure responsible and safe firearms side of gun violence.
dealing. Like all data, however, gun trace data has
its limits; its insights, while key to understanding
gun trafficking, are only one step in the process of II. KEY TERMS
stopping the irresponsible supply of guns used in
crime. Last year, Brady unveiled an extensive and WHAT ARE “CRIME GUNS” AND WHERE
ever-growing database containing another piece DO THEY COME FROM?
to the puzzle: ATF inspection reports of federal
firearms licensees (FFLs) to whom the agency has A crime gun is a gun that has been recovered by
either issued a warning letter or handed down a law enforcement after being used or suspected of
more severe remedy in response to cited violations having been used in a crime, or whose possession
of gun laws. We encourage readers to view that may in itself have been a crime. A crime gun might
resource, the Gun Store Transparency Project, at be a stolen firearm, a firearm found at a scene of
www.gunstoretransparency.org. a crime, or a firearm used in a crime. Almost every
crime gun has one factor in common: It originated

4 BRADYUNITED.ORG
 A CRIME GUN IS A GUN THAT HAS BEEN RECOVERED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT AFTER BEING USED OR SUSPECTED OF HAVING
BEEN USED IN A CRIME, OR WHOSE POSSESSION MAY IN ITSELF
HAVE BEEN A CRIME.

from a firearm manufacturer. A 2019 Department of enforcement not only trace crime guns via ATF’s
Justice report estimated that 43% of all crime guns eTrace system to determine the origins of these
come from the “illegal firearm market.”2 However, weapons, but also investigate patterns of diversion
firearms obtained via illicit commerce most often to the illegal market. Identifying and disrupting
have never fallen outside the law before; crime these patterns can greatly stem the flow of crime
guns are very often guns with long initial histories of guns. Unfortunately, constraints placed on local
adhering to the law throughout their manufacture, law enforcement agencies can be a barrier to such
distribution, and eventual sale from a licensed investigations; most have limited resources and are
dealer to a first buyer. Determining how legally either prohibited or discouraged from conducting
purchased or manufactured firearms make their investigations outside their jurisdiction. Since
way to crime scenes is vital for law enforcement crime guns can originate outside the jurisdiction
and policymakers aiming to address the origins of where they are recovered, crime gun source
the illegal gun market. investigations frequently lead beyond the local
law enforcement agency’s authority, necessitating
WHAT IS “TRACE DATA” AND WHY IS IT cross-jurisdictional collaboration.
IMPORTANT?
The majority of FFLs in the United States are
When a firearm is found at or associated with a responsible business owners who sell firearms
crime scene, law enforcement agencies have the in compliance with federal, state, and local law.
ability to trace it through a database maintained by Data last provided by ATF over 20 years ago shows
the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms that only a small minority supply the criminal
and Explosives (ATF). Law enforcement agencies market with guns; about 5% of firearm dealers
can enter the make, model, caliber, and serial are responsible for around 90% of recovered
number of a specific firearm into ATF’s eTrace crime guns.3 Some claim that these statistics are
system, allowing them to follow the flow of that driven by an FFL’s sales volume, but research
firearm from its legal fabrication or importation testing this hypothesis has resulted in preliminary
by a manufacturer/importer, to a wholesaler or evidence which suggests otherwise.4 A second
distributor, to a federally licensed firearms dealer study corroborated this, finding that while some
(FFL), and to the firearm’s original retail purchaser. FFL characteristics were risk factors for a high
However, at any point in this commercial flow rate of crime-related gun recoveries, an FFL’s
from manufacture/import to sale, firearms can be volume of guns sold was an inadequate predictor
diverted to the illegal market. It is vital that law of disproportionate traces.5 ATF itself has noted

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 5

that “sales volume alone does not account for and law enforcement agencies to identify the
the disproportionately large number of traces gun dealers that transfer the largest number of
associated with these firearms dealers,”6 but the crime guns. The last time national trace data
agency has found a significant association between was available, it showed that a mere 5% of
high numbers of crime gun traces and an FFL’s lack dealers were responsible for 90% of crime gun
of compliance with federal firearms laws.7 transfers, and that only 1.2% of gun dealers were
responsible for 57% of crime guns.8 Approximately
WHAT IS THE TIAHRT AMENDMENT? 86% of gun dealers did not have a single firearm
traced back to them in a given year.9 With
Prior to 2003, ATF published nationwide trace data Northeastern University, ATF developed a series
analyses on the origins of crime guns. However, of “trafficking indicators,” or characteristics of
due to the lobbying efforts of the gun industry, gun dealers, transactions, or guns themselves that
the “Tiahrt Amendment” was added to the 2003 are associated with illegal firearms trafficking.
federal appropriations bill, restricting ATF from One such indicator is a short time-to-crime (the
spending funds to publicize disaggregated trace time elapsed from retail sale to recovery by law
data. That amendment was carried forward into enforcement). If a gun dealer has a high number of
future appropriations bills and ultimately became associated crime gun traces with a short time-to-
permanent. In response to the Tiahrt Amendment, crime (under three years), this indicates that guns
the ATF adopted such a broad interpretation of the from that source are likely being acquired for the
amendment’s restrictions that very little information purpose of being trafficked.10 Indeed, according
related to trace data ever makes its way to the to ATF, recovery of a gun that was first sold less
public. Instead, the results of ATF firearm traces than three years prior “signals direct diversion,
are reported only to the law enforcement agency by illegal firearms trafficking — for instance
that originally recovered the crime gun and entered through straw purchases or off-the-books sales by
it into the eTrace system. The requesting agency corrupt FFLs.”11 Straw purchasers are those who
must affirmatively opt into data sharing before any illegally buy guns on behalf of others, concealing
other agencies in the same state can see or make the identity of the actual purchaser. Some straw
use of its tracing information. As a result, there is buyers purchase for a specific person; others
often no coordinated analysis of firearm trace data operate as illegal traffickers, buying large quantities
by local, county, or state agencies — and while ATF of firearms for off-the-books resale — usually to
produces high-level annual reports listing the type, individuals legally prohibited from purchasing a gun
caliber, and state of origin of traced crime guns, the themselves.
publicly-available data too often stops there.
Trace data also reveals the types of guns most
WHAT CAN TRACE DATA TELL US? WHAT frequently used in crime. In the past, this
TRACING DETAILS INDICATE POTENTIAL information has resulted in stronger regulations for
TRAFFICKING? specific firearm types. Revealing the gun models
most disproportionately used in crime — and
which have special appeal to gun traffickers —
Making trace data public allows local communities

6 BRADYUNITED.ORG
exposes how some gun manufacturers exploit the may have been purchased at dealers now out of
lucrative illegal market by knowing what criminals business. Because older traces are more difficult
want and being sure those wants are available for to match to dealers, some tables and charts in
sale. In short, trace data is an essential tool for this analysis focus on recent recoveries and “short
identifying and holding accountable the faction time-to-crime” firearms, as these matches are
of irresponsible gun dealers and manufacturers most likely to provide accurate and actionable
who quietly cater to the illegal gun trafficking information. Importantly, guns with a short time-
market. Families of the injured and killed deserve to-crime are also more likely to be associated with
to know how their loved ones were harmed, and gun trafficking, as explained above. Despite these
communities deserve to know the sources of the limitations, the Rochester gun trace data paints
illegal guns flooding their streets. It is only with this the clearest public picture in a decade of the
knowledge that they can take targeted action to harm crime guns are doing throughout the city —
prevent further tragedy. and, crucially, who is responsible for flooding the
streets with weapons.

III. GUN TRACE DATA TRACE DATA AND SUPPLY-SIDE

SOLUTIONS TO GUN VIOLENCE
LIMITATIONS
Most efforts to prevent gun violence injuries and
For several reasons, gun trace data may not
deaths focus on the perpetrators of violence.
present a comprehensive story of gun crime in a
These demand-side efforts, whether public policy,
particular jurisdiction. Not all guns recovered by
criminal justice reform, local interventions, or
law enforcement are traced, and many guns used
social service programs, are necessary to save
in crimes are never recovered. In addition, law
lives. Alone, however, they are insufficient to end
enforcement agencies, when submitting data to be
America’s epidemic of gun violence. A supply-side
shared, might choose to omit from that submission
approach to gun violence prevention complements
certain variables concerning details of the crime or
these strategies by focusing on the supply of crime
of the recovered weapon; occasionally, too, a trace
guns: encouraging elected officials, community
cannot return complete information about a gun or
members, and law enforcement to address not just
its first purchase, perhaps because of inadequacies
the shooter, but also the supply chain and source of
in a dealer’s required records. Finally, older guns
the firearm. By holding gun dealers, manufacturers,

THE ROCHESTER GUN TRACE DATA PAINTS THE CLEAREST

PUBLIC PICTURE IN A DECADE OF THE HARM CRIME GUNS ARE
DOING THROUGHOUT THE CITY — AND, CRUCIALLY, WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR FLOODING THE STREETS WITH WEAPONS.

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 7

and distributors accountable when they act agencies to ensure firearms regulations and laws
irresponsibly, local communities can reduce are enforced in their jurisdictions.
homicide and shooting rates in even the most
impacted neighborhoods. In other words, a supply- 3. Dealers with the most traces tend to be
side strategy is a critical aspect of a comprehensive independent businesses, but chain stores’ sales
public health approach to reducing gun violence. practices also need improvement. Dealers with
large numbers of traces should implement safer
WHAT HAVE WE HAVE LEARNED FROM business practices. For dealers that are part
THIS DATA? WHICH SUPPLY-SIDE of large corporate chains, this implementation
SOLUTIONS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED? should be wide-scale across all locations. Doing
so will have a measurable impact on crime gun
1. A small percentage of dealers account for a availability throughout the state. For example,
majority of Rochester’s crime guns. Rochester’s after a top source crime gun dealer in Milwaukee
data indicates the city’s own crime gun problem decided to stop selling certain cheap handguns
can be reduced significantly by focusing resources — “Saturday Night Specials” — frequently
on a small subset of specific “problem” dealers. recovered in connection with crime, there followed
As most FFLs sell few or no crime guns, zeroing in a 71% decrease in new recoveries of the guns by
on those who do helps make enforcement more Milwaukee law enforcement, plus a 44% decrease
efficient — and, it follows, more effective. Federal, in recoveries of firearms exhibiting signs of having
state, and local authorities should not only give been trafficked.12 Ideally, the industry should make
“problem” dealers greater scrutiny, but actively these reforms proactively, although legislatures
pressure them into adopting reforms toward full can — and should — codify such requirements into
legal compliance — and this pressure should law if the businesses involved fail to act voluntarily.
never be a bluff; ignoring official warnings and For more information about safe gun industry
remaining noncompliant should invariably lead to business practices, see Brady’s Gun Dealer Code
fines, shutdowns, and whatever other enforcement of Conduct.
actions are relevant, including criminal prosecution.
Gun manufacturers must also be pressured to stop 4. Crime guns circulate long after their
supplying large crime gun dealers with firearms. dealers go out of business. While improving
and strengthening dealer business practices
2. Greater Rochester has a homegrown crime will eventually reduce the number of guns on
gun problem. Nearly all of the top dealers of Rochester’s streets, the impact may take time
crime guns recovered in Rochester are based to be felt; guns are durable goods that can be
in Monroe County, accounting for a substantial used for many years. In the short term, focusing
number of crime guns. Local police and elected enforcement efforts against those sellers most
officials should be aware of local crime gun sources responsible for stuffing the streets with guns is an
and — as mentioned above — hold them strictly effective strategy, but consistently enforcing state,
accountable for their outsized contributions to local, and federal laws and regulations is imperative
the area’s gun violence problem. The Rochester to achieving greater and greater reductions in the
Police Department should partner with ATF, state availability of crime guns.
agencies, and neighboring law enforcement

8 BRADYUNITED.ORG
5. Ghost guns are on the rise. Like many cities Evidence also shows that certain supply-side
across the nation and the state of New York, policies reduce gun-related crime. For example,
Rochester has seen an alarming increase in the after suing FFLs found to be top sources of
number of ghost guns used in criminal activity. NYPD-recovered crime guns, the city of New
Local, state, and federal officials need to take York required extensive reforms of those dealers’
legislative action banning the sale and possession business practices that were tailored to prevent
of ghost guns, which are designed for — and even straw purchases and other illegal transactions —
marketed toward — individuals looking to commit plus third-party oversight ensuring the dealers
crimes and people who cannot legally purchase adhered to those reforms. Subsequently, the odds
firearms. that a crime gun sold by one of the dealers was
later recovered in New York dropped by 84%.14
HOW WILL SUPPLY-SIDE SOLUTIONS Studies have also found that state-level regimes
LEAD TO FEWER GUN DEATHS AND that provide comprehensive gun dealer oversight
INJURIES? and regular compliance inspections deter illegal
gun sales;15 that state gun dealer licensing
Significant progress in reducing gun trafficking and requirements and laws authorizing inspections or
gun crime will be made if elected officials and law audits of gun dealers are independently associated
enforcement ensure dealers are following all laws with up to 51% lower firearm homicide rates;16 and
and regulations — and training their employees to that state-level gun sale regulations result in fewer
understand and abide by them as well. Because the crime gun traces to dealers in those states.17
federal government has failed to hold these dealers
accountable (see case study on page 23), state Conversely, lack of gun dealer accountability and
and local governments must step in. If more states oversight are associated with an increase in crime
and localities enforce existing gun laws within their guns: After the passage of Tiahrt, a second study
borders, it will change the behaviors and business using the Milwaukee Police Department’s trace
practices of gun suppliers, which evidence shows data found an associated 203% increase in the
leads to fewer guns being diverted into the illicit number of guns diverted within a year of sale by
market. the Milwaukee gun dealer mentioned in section II
above.18 Additionally, states that do not permit or
Criminal court records, for example, demonstrate require gun dealer inspections have been found
that gun traffickers often identify and select stores to be the sources of crime guns recovered in other
where they can most easily buy a gun in a straw states at a rate 50% greater than states that do
purchase, then return to those stores again and (and are similarly the source of a much higher
again. Similarly, research has shown that the types proportion of short time-to-crime guns).19 As these
of firearms a dealer sells can attract gun traffickers, studies make clear, safer gun dealer business
and that if the most desirable guns were no longer practices and enhanced regulation and oversight
sold, fewer of them would be recovered in crime, together reduce the availability of guns in the illicit
and fewer recovered guns overall would display market, thereby reducing gun crime.
trafficking indicia.13

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 9

IV. FINDINGS: CRIME WHAT TYPES OF GUNS ARE RECOVERED
AND TRACED?
GUNS IN ROCHESTER Looking at traces from 2020 to 2022, the most
The gun trace dataset provided by the Rochester “typical” gun recovered in Rochester is a 9mm
Police Department includes 6,036 gun trace pistol made by Taurus. Chart A.1 shows the
records, dating from 2012-2022. For each trace frequency of each type of gun recovered by year.
record, the database includes at minimum some Handguns (pistols, revolvers, and derringers) made
information about: up 83% of all traced guns in 2022. Handguns are
known to be popular among gun traffickers due to
• the gun, such as make and model; their smaller size and easy concealability; yet many
• the crime, including date and location; handguns, particularly semi-automatic handguns,
• the recovery, including date and location; and have just as much firepower — and can shoot just
• the gun’s possessor at the time of recovery. as many rounds — as larger guns. The ten-year
trend shows that handgun recoveries are becoming
This report explores all of the Rochester gun trace more and more prevalent than recoveries of long
data, with an emphasis on the last three years guns, like shotguns and rifles (see Chart A.2).
(2020-2022). Table 1 shows several descriptive
features of the records in the database for these
three years, as well as the dataset as a whole.

TABLE 1: GUN TRACE RECORDS IN ROCHESTER GUN TRACING DATABASE

2022 2021 2020 Past 10 Years
(2012-2022)
Total traces 680 568 572 6,036
Total traces matched to dealer* 579 490 476 5,053
Traces to in-state dealers 147 130 159 2,138
Traces to out-of-state dealers 430 359 317 2,885
Traces to active dealers 373 286 260 1,961
Traces with “time-to-crime” 3 years or less 187 163 138 1,028
Traces with “time-to-crime” less than 1 year 70 79 74 459
Traces of handguns 563 455 446 4,080
Traces of long guns 115 110 124 1,945
Traces of firearms used in violent crime 42 37 48 357
Used in homicide 16 15 3 47
Used in assault 6 2 17 102
Used in robbery 10 7 8 75
Traces of firearms possessed illegally 549 441 375 3,829
Traces of firearms with unlisted crime type 1 30 32 707
* 30 of the crime guns traced to dealers did not include data on the state where the dealer was located.

10 BRADYUNITED.ORG
 CHART A.1: TRACED CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER BY FIREARM TYPE (2020-2022)
MOST TRACED GUNS IN ROCHESTER ARE HANDGUNS

CHART A.2: INCREASE IN TRACED HANDGUNS IN ROCHESTER OVER TIME (2012-2022)

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 11

Chart B.1 shows the most frequent calibers of impact and is considered both more lethal and
traced guns each of the past three years, with destructive than a .22 caliber bullet (although both
9mm consistently exhibiting significantly more are lethal). Caliber differentiation can also indicate
recoveries than the second most frequently-traced whether a specific firearm is a rifle or a handgun.
firearm, .22 caliber. Caliber is used to describe the For example, .38 caliber ammunition is usually
size of a rifle or handgun bore (the internal barrel used in handguns. Over the past decade, 9mm
measurement) and the size of cartridges (bullets) has become the caliber of choice for crime guns
designed for different bores. Most easily described recovered in Rochester, eclipsing .22 caliber and
as the size of bullets, caliber is often a delineation 12 gauge, which were most popular between 2012
of potential lethality or destructive capabilities. and 2017, and continuing to rise (see Chart B.2).
For example, a 9mm caliber bullet hits with more

CHART B.1: TRACED GUNS IN ROCHESTER BY FIREARM CALIBER (2020-2022)

12 BRADYUNITED.ORG
 CHART B.2: TRACED GUNS IN ROCHESTER BY FIREARM CALIBER (2012-2022)

Finally, the data reveal the most common makes ranking across the full dataset. Guns made by
and models of guns recovered and traced by Taurus, Smith & Wesson, Glock, Ruger, and
Rochester law enforcement. Not surprisingly, Polymer80 are recovered in Rochester and traced
popular handgun manufacturers top the frequency at rates substantially higher than the next most
chart, but the database includes firearms from common makers of firearms for the past three
278 different gunmakers. Table 2 lists the top years. Polymer80, which makes parts to assemble
20 manufacturers whose firearms were most ghost guns at home that are often sold without a
frequently recovered and traced in Rochester background check, is the only one of these with a
between 2020 and 2022, including their overall substantial increase from all other years.20

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 13

 TABLE 2: MANUFACTURERS OF MOST FREQUENTLY TRACED FIREARMS
MANUFACTURER TRACES RANK TRACES RANKS
2020-2022 2012-2022
Taurus 220 1 417 2
Smith & Wesson 184 2 548 1
Glock 176 3 316 4
Ruger 139 4 399 3
Polymer80 99 5 102 14
Mossberg 50 6 289 5
Unknown 49 7 258 6
HS Produkt 47 8 79 16
Hi-Point 41 9 156 8
SCCY Industries 40 10 59 23
Remington 38 11 254 7
Savage 30 12 149 10
Keltec 29 13 95 15
SIG Sauer 29 13 65 18
Colt 28 15 134 12
Bersa 21 16 57 27
Sun City Machinery 19 17 50 33
Harrington & Richardson 18 18 152 9
Cobra Enterprises 18 18 45 38
Jimenez Arms 17 20 59 23
CBC Industries 17 20 58 25

Knowing the makes, models, and calibers of the National trace data from the time showed that
most frequently-recovered crime guns provides these guns were used in a disproportionate amount
insight into the preferred firearms of the illicit of gun crime. While the lowest-priced handguns
market. This information is important for gun from the top makers now retail around $400, some
dealers to know because it allows them to exercise cheap handguns from the “Saturday Night Special”
heightened diligence when transferring such era are unfortunately still on the streets and being
firearms. It is also important information for used in crime, as shown in Table 3, which lists
manufacturers, who should make every effort to guns in the gun tracing database made by the most
avoid designing, pricing, and/or marketing firearms notorious “junk” firearm firms. Since 2012, over
in ways that appeal to the criminal market. One 500 of these guns have been recovered and traced.
case in point concerns a set of manufacturers The share of traced guns that are “Saturday Night
that produced popular low-quality, cheap (less Specials” has decreased from its peak in 2018, but,
than $150),21 short-barrel handguns in the 1990s, as seen in Chart C, this decline correlates almost
commonly called “Saturday Night Specials’’ or exactly with the rise in ghost guns recovered in
“junk” guns.

14 BRADYUNITED.ORG
 TABLE 3: TRACED “SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS” BY YEAR
MANUFACTURER 2022 2021 2020 2012-2022
Hi-Point Firearms (still in business) 12 9 20 156
Cobra Enterprises (ceased production in 2020) 6 4 8 45
Jimenez Arms (ceased production in 2006) 2 5 10 59
Raven Arms (destroyed by fire in 1991) 2 3 7 58
Lorcin Engineering (ceased production in 1998) 2 3 5 50
Davis Industries (closed in 1992) 4 2 3 47
Phoenix Arms (still in business) 1 2 5 23
Bryco Arms (ceased production in 2003) 2 2 2 64
Jennings Firearms (closed in 1991) 0 1 1 19

CHART C: DECLINE IN RECOVERY OF “SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS” AND INCREASE

IN RECOVERY OF GHOST GUNS (2012-2022)

Rochester (guns that can be purchased without a Because guns are durable goods, they can have
background check, which are discussed in the next a longer lifespan than the store from which they
section). were purchased. In fact, of the 5,053 crime guns
in the dataset traced to a dealer, 39% were traced
Several of these junk handgun manufacturers to an original sale by a dealer who is no longer in
have been held accountable and driven out of business, as shown in Chart D.22
business for the damage caused by their reckless
manufacturing practices.

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 15

 CHART D: SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF TRACED GUNS WERE SOLD BY DEALERS
NOW CLOSED (2012-2022)

GHOST GUNS the agency’s definition of “firearm” to include

these parts and kits, meaning such items must be
Ghost guns are unserialized and untraceable subject to the same federal regulations as traditional
firearms that can be bought online in parts or firearms.
“kits” and easily assembled at home. These parts
consist of an “80% lower receiver,” which refers to The Rochester gun trace dataset includes 258 guns
a part of a gun that has not yet reached the stage of for which the manufacturer is listed as “unknown.”
manufacture that sellers of ghost guns consider to Just seven of these guns were traced to a dealer;
be a firearm, plus the remaining gun components. most appear to be foreign-made, antiques, in poor
They are often sold as “ghost gun kits,” which condition, or otherwise unable to be traced. Another
include all of the parts, and sometimes the 102 guns listed “Polymer80” as the manufacturer.
equipment, necessary to build a fully functioning Polymer80 recoveries have seen exponential growth
firearm at home. Before ATF’s Rule 2021R-05F between 2020 and 2022. Prior to 2020, only three
(ATF’s “ghost gun rule”) went into effect in 2022, Polymer80 weapons were recovered in crimes in
these kits were widely available at gun shops, Rochester. In 2020, ten were recovered; in 2021 and
gun shows, and online, and were often purchased 2022, this number further increased to 36 and 53,
by anyone — including prohibited purchasers, respectively.
domestic abusers, and gun traffickers — without a
background check. Because they are not serialized,
they are untraceable, and therefore they usually
do not show up in trace data. ATF’s “ghost gun
rule” is meant to address these issues by clarifying

16 BRADYUNITED.ORG
V. FINDINGS: CASE STUDY:
FIREARMS DEALERS THE IMPORTANCE OF GUN DEALER
SECURITY MEASURES
AND INDICATORS OF
GUN TRAFFICKING
Chinappi’s Firearms and Supplies is a case
study in the importance of gun dealers adopting
strong security measures. Chinappi’s —
Redacted

In the Rochester gun trace database, 2,193 gun Redacted

dealers are identified. These dealers account Redacted — was
for 5,053 traces. The largest number of guns reportedly a victim of theft seven times from
attributable to a single dealer is 193, while 1,698 2007 to 2018,23 with over 100 firearms stolen.24
dealers had only one gun traced to them. The Local law enforcement attempted to work with
average number of traced guns per dealer in the the store for more than a decade, providing
data is 2.3; the median is one. recommendations on how to improve security,
but not a single suggestion appeared to have
been adopted.25 After Chinappi’s was burglarized
SOURCES OF CRIME GUNS
in February 2018, ATF investigators noted that
the store did not have a single security camera.26
Rochester’s gun trace data is consistent with past
This lack of security measures left other gun
findings about national trace data which have
dealers aghast, with one stating that “cameras
indicated that a small percentage of dealers is the
and a security system are an absolute must” —
source of the majority of crime guns. In Rochester,
the “absolute minimum of what every firearms
55% of the crime guns in the dataset were traced to
dealer should have.”27 As a result of the store’s
just 10% of the dealers.
refusal to secure its firearms and ammunition,
and after a particularly egregious theft of more
As shown in Redacted and Redacted while most
than 80 guns in August 2018, the Monroe County
crime guns come from out-of-state dealers overall,
Sheriff’s Office took the “unprecedented step”
two-thirds of crime guns from the top 30 dealers
of petitioning a local judge to issue a court order
come from dealers based in New York state and
to temporarily shut down the business and take
most from Monroe County dealers. Indeed, as seen
control of its inventory.28 The judge granted the
in Redacted only two of the 20 dealers that sold more
request, closing the store through a cease and
than 20 crime guns are from out of state.
desist business order.29 The store no longer has a
federal firearms license.30

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 17

Redacted
 CHART E.1: MOST CRIME GUNS RECOVERED IN THE CITY OF ROCHESTER WERE TRACED TO
OUT-OF-STATE DEALERS (2012-2022)

CHART E.2: GUN DEALERS IN MONROE COUNTY SUPPLY MOST CRIME GUNS AMONG
TOP 30 DEALERS (2012-2022)

CURRENT SOURCE DEALERS OF GUNS a family left behind. To focus again on current
USED IN HOMICIDES dealers’ contributions to the problem, Redacted
Redacted
Redacted
As noted in Table 1, most of the crime guns in the
Redacted
database are not associated with violent crime.
Redacted are associated with more than
Of the 6,036 crime guns in the dataset, 357 were
one homicide trace. Remember, to have multiple
recovered during an investigation into a violent
crime guns traced to a dealer in one year is rare.
crime. Of these, 47 are associated with a homicide.
Multiple homicide traces to a single dealer is a
While the number of homicides is low compared
strong indicator that the dealer is not doing enough
to the total number of traces, it is important to
to prevent the store’s contribution to gun crime.
remember that each homicide is a life lost and

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 19

Redacted
VI. FINDINGS: majority of short TTC guns. There were 508 dealers
with at least one short TTC gun traced; of these

DEALERS 508, just 21 dealers accounted for 40% – 409 – of

the short TTC crime guns.
RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE MOST TRACES
Table 7 shows the dealers with the highest
likelihood of currently contributing to gun trafficking
— in other words, those with the largest number
Redacted
lists the 20 gun dealers located in New York of short TTC guns recovered from 2020 to 2022.
that appear most often in the dataset, having sold The 488 crime guns recovered from 2020 to 2022
17% of the recovered guns. Two-thirds of these with a TTC of three years or less were sold by 288
stores are closed or no longer selling firearms. The dealers (13% of all dealers in the dataset), and the
majority are independent dealers, but several are 223 crime guns recovered from 2020 to 2022 with
part of the large national Redacted a TTC of under a year were sold by 138 dealers.
chains. In other words, just 6% of the dealers in the entire
dataset were the source of all crime guns recovered
DEALERS CURRENTLY CONTRIBUTING in less than one year after first sale between 2020
TO THE CRIME GUN PROBLEM and 2022.

Of the 3,596 crime guns traced by Rochester police

to dealers that include time-to-crime information in
the database, 1,028, or 29%, were recovered within
three years of their first retail sale. As explained in
the introduction, these short “time-to-crime” (TTC)
guns are more likely to have been bought in a straw
purchase or for the purpose of trafficking than guns
with a longer TTC. Like crime gun traces overall,
only a small percentage of dealers account for the

20 BRADYUNITED.ORG
Redacted

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 21

Redacted

22 BRADYUNITED.ORG
Redacted

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 23

RECOMMENDATIONS Federal, state, and local law enforcement
should use trace data to inform enforcement
and oversight strategies for upstream sources
Other jurisdictions should follow Rochester’s lead
of crime guns. Law enforcement agencies must
in creating trace reports. We applaud our partners
work collaboratively across jurisdictions to ensure
in the Rochester Office of the Mayor, Rochester
that licensed gun dealers are responsibly selling
City Council, and Rochester Police Department for
firearms to the public. Focusing on the largest
providing their city’s gun trace data and for their
dealers of crime guns with a short average time-
commitment to generating this report. The decision
to-crime is an efficient and effective approach to
to be more transparent about where crime guns are
preventing future gun injuries and deaths. The
coming from is one that every jurisdiction should
New York State Police — and all law enforcement
consider. Equipped with trace data information
with gun dealer inspection authority — should use
in their jurisdictions, communities, elected
trace data to prioritize compliance inspections for
officials, and law enforcement can advocate for
the small number of dealers responsible for most
and implement informed gun violence reduction
crime guns. Only by using all tools, including data,
strategies, hold the gun industry accountable, and
at their disposal can law enforcement agencies
save lives.
best disincentivize irresponsible firearm sales and
reduce gun trafficking and crime.
Researchers and journalists should build upon this
analysis. Open gun tracing information gives the
State and local elected officials in New York
public a better understanding of the supply side of
state and the city of Rochester should use
the gun violence equation. This information can be
these findings as motivation to consider ways in
further leveraged by journalists and researchers to
which they can better regulate problematic gun
give the public an even better understanding of gun
dealers and enforce the law. State lawmakers
trafficking patterns and indicators. Journalists can
should continue to adopt policies that allow for
build upon this data by investigating problematic
better oversight and more effective enforcement
crime gun dealers in their area and guns that are
of gun industry businesses that supply the
later recovered in crime. When covering gun crime,
criminal market. New York already has laws and
journalists should also include information about
regulations in place that offer ways to hold gun
the sources of crime guns and the ways in which
dealers accountable, including state inspections53
these guns are acquired. This data can also be used
and nuisance laws.54 Considering the unusually
by researchers to study the sources and paths of
high rate of Rochester crime guns coming from
crime guns more in-depth to fully understand gun
Rochester itself (compared to the state average),
trafficking patterns and indicators in certain areas.
the city should partner with ATF and state agencies
Such research would provide a broader base of
to ensure firearms regulations and laws are being
evidence from which lawmakers, law enforcement,
appropriately enforced. At a minimum, the state
and communities could develop effective solutions
government and all local governments should
to gun violence.
ensure their firearm procurements incentivize
better business practices for gun dealers; dealers

24 BRADYUNITED.ORG
who supply a disproportionate number of crime
guns should not be eligible for taxpayer-funded
purchases.

Gun dealers should adopt Brady’s Gun Dealer

Code of Conduct to avoid risky transfers and
supplying the criminal market. The Brady Gun
Dealer Code of Conduct contains best practices
for the safe transfer of firearms to the public. Many
responsible gun dealers already follow a number of
the policies included in the Code of Conduct.

SUPRA NOTES

Redacted

CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 25

ENDNOTES

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12. Vernick, J. S. & Webster, D. W. (2013). Curtailing
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Dangerous Sales Practices by Licensed Firearms Dealers:
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Initiatives (Nov. 2000).
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7. Of approximately 1,000 dealers with 10 or more traces in
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Initiatives iii (Nov. 2000).
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trafficking.pdf.

26 BRADYUNITED.ORG
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Guns: The Link Between Gun Laws and Interstate Gun news/2018/08/17/dakota-safarty-burglary-gun-store-
Trafficking. Retrieved May 2023, from https://search.issuelab. chinappi-firearms-hilton-parma/1025117002/.
org/resource/trace-the-guns-the-link-between-gun-laws-and-
interstate-gun-trafficking.html. 29. Smith, K. (2018, August 17). UPDATE: Arrest made in gun
shop burglary; store is ordered to temporarily close. 13 WHAM
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CRIME GUNS IN ROCHESTER 27

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