Firearms Trace Data: Los Angeles, CA - 2019

Data Source: Firearms Tracing System

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019

 

Contents

  1. ATF Firearms Trace Data Disclaimer
  2. Table: Total Number of Firearms Recovered and ​Traced in Los Angeles, CA in Calendar Year 2019
  3. Table: Firearm Types with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery
  4. Table: Top Calibers/Types Reported on Firearm Traces with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery
  5. Table: Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery
  6. Table: Top Source States for Firearms​ with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery
  7. Table: Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery
  8. Table: Age of Possessors for Firearms​ with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery
  9. 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 Los Angeles, CA in Calendar Year 2019

6,153

 

Firearm Types with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Pistols 3,846
Revolvers 1,008
Rifles 785
Shotguns 391
Other* 123

* Other includes Derringers, Machineguns, Unknown Types, Receivers/Frames, Combinations and Any Other Weapons.

 

Top Calibers/Types Reported on Firearm Traces ​with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
9mm Pistol 1,801
.40 Cal Pistol 631
.38 Cal Revolver 451
.45 Cal Pistol 417
.380 Cal Pistol 363
12GA Shotgun 323
.357 Cal Revolver 235
.22 Cal Pistol 230
.22 Cal Rifle 206
.22 Cal Revolver 175

NOTE: There were 1,123 additional traces that were associated with other calibers/types.​ There were 198 traces with an unknown caliber.

 

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Possession of Weapon 3,909
Found Firearm 575
Dangerous Drugs 299
Health - Safety 168
Property Crimes 151
Aggravated Assault 144
Simple Assault 106
Robbery 103
Weapon Offense 100
Threat 98
Homicide 91

NOTE: There were 409 additional traces that were associated with other categories.

 

Top Source States for Firearms with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
California 2,168
Arizona 492
Nevada 366
Colorado 148
Texas 116
Utah 58
Georgia 54
Oregon 48
Washington 48
Florida 41

NOTE: An additional 38 states accounted for 542 other traces. The source state was identified in 4,081 total traces.

 

Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Under 3 Months 156
3 Months to Under 7 Months 196
7 Months to Under 1 Year 210
1 Year to Under 2 Years 554
2 Years to Under 3 Years 382
3 Years and Over 2,556

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 Los Angeles, CA Average Time-to-Crime: 10.95 Years

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 National Average Time-to-Crime: 8.29 Years

 

Age of Possessors for Firearms with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
17 and Under 165
18 to 21 450
22 to 24 478
25 to 30 1,095
31 to 40 1,037
41 to 50 685
Over 50 1,044

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 Los Angeles, CA Average Age of Possessor: 37 Years

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 National Average Age of Possessor: 35 Years

 

Analytical Criteria Used to Compile the Enclosed Statistics

Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced

  • Includes traces with a recovery city of Los Angeles, CA or cities that are within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department. Traces in which the recovery city was not provided were included when the requesting agency was the Los Angeles Police Department.
  • Includes Firearms Recovered and Traced between 1/1/2019 – 12/31/2019 or, if the recovery date was blank, firearms with trace entry dates between 1/1/2019 – 12/31/2019.
  • 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 June 22, 2021.​
  • All traces may not have been submitted or completed at the time of this study.​

Firearm Types and Top Calibers/Types with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

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

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Los Angeles, CA Recovery

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

Top Source States for Firearms with a Los Angeles, CA 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 a Los Angeles, CA 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 a Los Angeles, CA 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.

 

View All 2019 Firearms Trace Data

Last Reviewed May 17, 2022