The ATF, charged with policing the gun industry, lets dealers get away with falsifying records and selling firearms without background checks.
The programs, policies, and people driving positive change in America’s gun violence problem.
American lives, shaped by guns.
The National Rifle Association is one of the most powerful special interest groups in America. We’re investigating how it spends its money.
Our team, our mission, our partners, and more. Plus: How to contact us.
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Aftershocks
Less than 40 percent of applicants are compensated, but many more never apply in the first place.
Off Target
Fulfilling even basic FOIA requests can take months or years. Sometimes the agency ignores them altogether.
The Trace and USA TODAY’s database of nearly 2,000 ATF inspection reports is a useful tool for reporters, policymakers, and members of the public.
Use our database to search for law-breaking firearm businesses near you.
In a sweeping investigation, The Trace and USA TODAY found the federal agency charged with policing the gun industry let dealers get away with falsifying records and selling firearms without background checks.
Data
Despite the historic increase, city and county leaders have failed to deliver their promised prevention plans.
ATF
The ruling rejects arguments the federal government has used to habitually block the release of figures tracing crime weapons to their prior owners.
Bang for the Buck
We’re tracking the gun group’s 2020 election expenditures in real time.
The Industry
About 1.3 million guns were sold in October, according to seasonally adjusted estimates.
Coronavirus & Guns
Data shows gun violence outpacing other types of crime in several major cities and running higher than 2019 levels nationally.
A new study from RAND offers several decades of household firearm ownership estimates.
Reporting by The Trace and FiveThirtyEight has spurred an independent review of a federal database used to track gun injuries.
While overall fatalities remained relatively unchanged compared to 2017, the share of suicides increased.
To tailor an effective request, first consult the database's user manual. Here are 21 examples that might help.
The count, which excludes suicides, topped 15,000. Plus: Search our updated map to find incidents of gun violence near you.
