Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Semi-autos are "weapon of choice" in Windy City

From Chicago, where handguns are banned:
When it comes to killing, semi-automatic handguns appear to be the weapon of choice in Chicago.

Semi-automatics topped revolvers as the weapon most often sent to federal authorities for testing last year, records show. Of 106 guns linked to homicides in Chicago, 54 were semi-automatic pistols, 44 were revolvers and eight were rifles, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
...
Of the roughly 10,000 guns submitted to ATF last year from Chicago, the largest share were .38-caliber revolvers -- 1,900 of them. And the most common .38 was a Smith & Wesson.

But that doesn't necessarily mean .38 revolvers were the weapon used in most Chicago shootings. The federal agency was unable to provide information about the particular manufacturer and model of handgun most commonly associated with shootings -- including those resulting in murders -- in Chicago.

Chicago Police detectives said they believe that semi-automatic pistols -- particularly 9mm handguns -- are the most commonly used gun in shootings here. Detectives often find shell casings at the scenes of shootings. Semi-automatic pistols eject shell casings; revolvers don't.

But the police said they did not have a breakdown of weapons used in shootings.

Article here. Imagine that ATF ran traces on 10,000 guns from Chicago, a city that bans handguns and heavily restricts long guns. Of course, such inconvenient facts are evidently not worthy of media notice.

No comments: