A shooting in Boston. A car theft in Washington, D.C. An assault in New York City. These incidents, seemingly disparate, share a common thread: the firearms used in each crime were originally purchased in Southern states and illegally trafficked north, according to a new report by Everytown for Gun Safety. The report highlights a persistent and troubling pattern of how guns bypass stricter state laws, fueling violence in areas with more comprehensive gun control measures.
The study, released Tuesday, sheds light on a key mechanism driving this flow: “straw purchasers” – individuals who legally acquire firearms and then resell them on the black market. Investigators tracked over 250 guns purchased over three years from nearly two dozen stores belonging to Academy Sports + Outdoors, a major retailer where convicted straw purchasers had previously obtained weapons. This isn’t about blaming a single retailer, but rather exposing a vulnerability in the system that allows firearms to conclude up in the hands of those prohibited from owning them.
While Academy Sports has not been accused of wrongdoing, and the number of trafficked guns represents a small fraction of its overall sales, the cases underscore the warning signs that licensed gun dealers may overlook. The issue of illegal gun trafficking is a significant one, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) identifying tens of thousands of firearms trafficked across state lines since 2017. Understanding the routes and methods used to move these weapons is crucial to stemming the tide of gun violence.
The Interstate Pipeline: How Guns Move North
The ATF has identified three primary trafficking routes. One major corridor runs along Interstate 95, funneling guns from states like South Carolina and Georgia northward. Another follows the Mississippi River, originating in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee and extending into Illinois. A third, the Southwest corridor, sees firearms moving from Arizona and Nevada into California. Less than 30% of guns trafficked are recovered in a state different from where they were originally purchased, according to ATF data, suggesting a significant number remain unaccounted for and potentially used in crimes. The ATF provides detailed data on firearms tracing and trafficking patterns.
The methods used to traffic guns are varied, but fall into four main categories: straw purchases, illegal resale by licensed dealers, theft from licensed dealers, and theft from individuals. Critically, three of these methods involve licensed gun dealers, placing them on the front lines of preventing illegal trafficking. As Eric Tirschwell, Executive Director of Everytown Law, stated, “The traffic of guns often begins at the counter of sales. What we have is not an either/or. We demand to prosecute straw purchasers and gun traffickers, and retailers like Academy, who operate on the front line, also have a crucial responsibility to stop gun trafficking when faced with clear warning signs.”
Academy Sports: A Case Study in Trafficking Patterns
Everytown’s legal team noticed a recurring pattern in recent court cases involving straw purchasers: frequent mentions of Academy Sports stores. While the chain hasn’t been directly implicated in wrongdoing, it settled a $2.5 million lawsuit in 2023 with families of victims of a serial shooter who illegally obtained guns from one of its stores, though the company did not admit liability.
In one instance, a pair of straw purchasers acquired firearms in Georgia and Texas in 2021, and 2022. Police later recovered over two dozen of those weapons, with nine linked to shootings in the Washington, D.C. Area, according to prosecutors. In Arkansas, a man pleaded guilty last year after purchasing over 100 guns from three Academy Sports locations between September 2020 and January 2021, transporting many to New York for resale. At least 12 of those guns were recovered in New York City, including one used by a minor and another in connection with an assault. Further north, in the Philadelphia area, four individuals purchased 119 firearms from over a dozen Academy Sports stores in the Atlanta area in 2020, with three of those weapons later recovered by police in Philadelphia and New York City.
Even seemingly small details can be indicative of illegal activity. In South Carolina, a straw purchaser used another person’s credit card to buy four pistols that were later found in Boston, one of which was linked to a shooting just two weeks after the purchase.
Recognizing the Red Flags
Investigators identified several common warning signs in these cases. These include buyers purchasing multiple firearms or duplicates simultaneously, using cash or another person’s credit card, and exhibiting a lack of knowledge about the firearms they are purchasing. “Lawful gun owners view guns as a tool. You don’t head to Home Depot and buy 10 hammers to complete a project,” explained Marianna Mitchem, a senior industry consultant for Everytown and former ATF official.
Mitchem noted that the ATF, under the Biden administration, has increased its focus on studying gun trafficking routes and analyzing data related to firearms used in crimes. She emphasized that all gun stores have a responsibility to avoid selling to individuals with reasonable cause to believe a sale is illegal. Thomas Chittum, a former ATF official and law professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, argued for a more cooperative relationship between federal authorities and gun dealers, highlighting that dealers are often in a unique position to identify suspicious activity that might not appear in official paperwork.
The challenge, as industry groups point out, is identifying deceptive buyers. However, the data suggests a need for increased vigilance and a willingness to report suspicious activity. The flow of illegal guns from states with laxer laws to those with stricter regulations continues to pose a significant threat to public safety.
The ATF is currently working to finalize regulations regarding background checks and the definition of who is engaged in the business of selling firearms, which could impact how firearms are sold and tracked. The agency is expected to release further details on these regulations in the coming months.
This is a developing story. Readers seeking support related to gun violence can find resources at Everytown Research and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention.
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