Friday, July 27, 2018 | 2 a.m.
Last year, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives traced 5,046 guns confiscated by Nevada law enforcement agencies, according to a federal report released this week. Most of those weapons — 4,212 — were recovered in Las Vegas.
Firearms traced in Nevada
• Pistols: 3,417
• Revolvers: 645
• Rifles: 579
• Shotguns: 361
• Derringers: 26
• Receivers/frames: 8
• Other: 10
The federal agency traced 322,078 firearms recovered in the U.S. and its territories, about 11 percent more than in 2016, the federal agency said in a news release. The increase shows heightened collaboration with local law enforcement entities, officials said.
Of the Nevada guns whose origins were traced to other states, 319 came from California, 174 from Arizona, 110 from Utah and 106 from Texas, the report said.
Most of the weapons traced in Nevada were pistols — 3,417. The most common caliber of weapons recovered was 9 mm, which accounted for 1,611 guns.
Among all Nevada guns traced, some were used in homicides (171), nonfatal shootings (284), suicides (173), the agency said. About 400 were simply found. Authorities recovered 37 guns from children under 17.
“Law enforcement agencies may request firearms traces for any reason,” the report said. “Not all firearms used in crime are traced and not all firearms traced are used in crime.”
“Trace information provides valuable investigative leads to law enforcement and can link a suspect to a firearm in a criminal investigation,” the agency noted.
