Studies & Reports

According to an analysis of firearms tracing data from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) from January 2, 1998 to December 31, 2001 reveals that on average, assault weapons are so frequently used in crime that one assault rifle is traced back to a Maryland crime every 48 hours.

With assault weapons being traced to crime in Maryland an average of every 48 hours, more needs to be done to get these guns off Maryland streets and to help law enforcement keep our communities safe. Yet powerful opponents of banning semiautomatic assault weapons are invested economically and ideologically to blocking any expansion of the pistol ban. Given this new analysis of ATF firearms tracing data, Governor Ehrlich, Senator Giannetti and other Maryland policymakers should strongly reconsider their position of the issue.