Where do gangs get their guns from?

Similarly, an ongoing study of how Chicago gang members get their guns has found that only a trivial percentage obtained them by direct purchase from a store. read more

The gangs also get their firearms from people like the clerk of a gun shop just outside of Chicago. The authorities said the clerk stole more than 70 pistols from the store and sold them on the streets to gang members. read more

The flow of guns is critical to the gangs’ chokehold over the Northern Triangle. The most powerful gangs, MS-13 and 18th Street, are building ties with the cartels that traffic drugs to the United States through Central America. But their basic operations are fueled by rampant gun-related crime at the local level. read more

Gangs and networks of families and friends are a frequently cited source of guns, but research on the scope is unclear. Gangs in particular have actually been found to suppress the gun trade in their neighborhood to preserve their monopoly on violence and to avoid the police attention that comes from gun use. read more