Firearms Trace Data: Alaska - 2020

Data Source: Firearms Tracing System

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020

 

Contents

  1. ATF Firearms Trace Data Disclaimer
  2. Table: Total Number of Firearms Recovered and ​Traced in Alaska in Calendar Year 2020
  3. Table: Firearm Types with an Alaska Recovery
  4. Table: Top Calibers Reported on Firearm Traces with an Alaska Recovery
  5. Table: Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces ​with an Alaska Recovery
  6. Table: Top 15 Source States for Firearms​ with an Alaska Recovery
  7. Table: Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with an Alaska Recovery
  8. Table: Age of Possessors for Firearms​ with an Alaska Recovery
  9. Table: Top Recovery Cities for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery
  10. Analytical Criteria Used to Compile the Enclosed Statistics

 

ATF Firearms Trace Data Disclaimer

Firearm traces are designed to assist law enforcement authorities in conducting investigations by tracking the sale and possession of specific firearms. Law enforcement agencies may request firearms traces for any reason, and those reasons are not necessarily reported to the federal government. Not all firearms used in crime are traced and not all firearms traced are used in crime.

Firearms selected for tracing are not chosen for purposes of determining which types, makes or models of firearms are used for illicit purposes. The firearms selected do not constitute a random sample and should not be considered representative of the larger universe of all firearms used by criminals, or any subset of that universe. Firearms are normally traced to the first retail seller, and sources reported for firearms traced do not necessarily represent the sources or methods by which firearms in general are acquired for use in crime.

 

Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced in Alaska in Calendar Year 2020

845

 

Firearm Types with an Alaska Recovery

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
Pistols 487
Rifles 191
Revolvers 86
Shotguns 74
Derringers 3
Other* 4

* Other includes Unknown Types, a Machinegun and a Receiver/Frame.

 

Top Calibers Reported on Firearm Traces ​with an Alaska Recovery

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
9mm 188
.22 Cal 99
.45 Cal 87
12GA 63
.40 Cal 62
.380 Cal 48
10mm 32
.357 Cal 28
5.56mm 25
.44 Cal 23
7.62mm 23

NOTE: There were 160 additional traces that were associated with other calibers.​ There were seven traces with an unknown caliber.

 

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with an Alaska Recovery

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
Possession of Weapon 243
Dangerous Drugs 131
Found Firearm 120
Firearm Under Investigation 94
Homicide - Attempted 54
Weapon Offense 37
Traffic Offense 30
Health - Safety 29
Suicide 16
Property Crimes 13

NOTE: There were 78 additional traces that were associated with other categories.

* A homicide category was reported on three traces.

 

Top 15 Source States for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
Alaska 559
Florida 9
Washington 8
Ohio 6
Arizona 5
Missouri 4
Oregon 4
Texas 4
Arkansas 3
California 3
Georgia 3
Idaho 3
Kansas 3
Michigan 3
Nevada 3
South Carolina 3

NOTE: An additional 14 states accounted for 20 other traces. The source state was identified in 643 total traces.

 

Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with an Alaska Recovery

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
Under 3 Months 50
3 Months to Under 7 Months 44
7 Months to Under 1 Year 31
1 Year to Under 2 Years 56
2 Years to Under 3 Years 41
3 Years and Over 397

1/1/2020-12/31/2020 Alaska Average Time-to-Crime: 8.84 Years

1/1/2020-12/31/2020 National Average Time-to-Crime: 7.01 Years

 

Age of Possessors for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
17 and Under 19
18 to 21 47
22 to 24 44
25 to 30 112
31 to 40 239
41 to 50 52
Over 50 98

1/1/2020-12/31/2020 Alaska Average Age of Possessor: 36 Years

1/1/2020-12/31/2020 National Average Age of Possessor: 34 Years

 

Top Recovery Cities for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery

January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
Anchorage 342
Fairbanks 108
Soldotna 74
Tok 52
Juneau 46
Barrow 44
Wasilla 32
Palmer 18
North Pole 17
Kenai 15

NOTE: There were 40 additional municipalities that accounted for 95 other traces. The recovery city could not be determined for two traces.

 

Analytical Criteria Used to Compile the Enclosed Statistics

Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced

  • Includes traces with a recovery state of Alaska. Traces in which the recovery state was not provided were included when the requesting agency state was equal to Alaska.​
  • Includes Firearms Recovered and Traced between 1/1/2020 – 12/31/2020 or, if the recovery date was blank, firearms with trace entry dates between 1/1/2020 – 12/31/2020.
  • Duplicate traces, Firearms Not Recovered, Gun Buyback and Firearms Turned In are not included in this figure.​
  • Data was extracted from the Firearms Tracing System (FTS) on April 12, 2021.​
  • All traces may not have been submitted or completed at the time of this study.​

Firearm Types and Calibers with an Alaska Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with an Alaska Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced. Beginning in CY 2010, attempted homicide, attempted suicide and negligent vehicular manslaughter are reported in separate categories.

Top Source States for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery​

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Traces must identify a purchaser and the state in which the final dealer is located.

Time-to-Crime Rates for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Traces must identify a purchaser.
  • Time-to-Crime was calculated for those traces in which the purchase date could be subtracted ​from the recovery date.

Age of Possessors for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Includes traces that provide a possessor and the possessor’s date of birth.
  • Possessor’s age is calculated by subtracting the possessor’s date of birth from the recovery date.

Top Recovery Cities for Firearms with an Alaska Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Includes traces with a recovery city or, if the recovery city was not provided, traces requested by agencies with jurisdiction only within that city.

 

View All 2020 Firearms Trace Data

Last Reviewed November 22, 2021