Firearms Trace Data: Detroit, MI - 2019

Data Source: Firearms Tracing System

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019

 

Contents

  1. ATF Firearms Trace Data Disclaimer
  2. Table: Total Number of Firearms Recovered and ​Traced in Detroit, MI in Calendar Year 2019
  3. Table: Firearm Types with a Detroit, MI Recovery
  4. Table: Top Calibers Reported on Firearm Traces with a Detroit, MI Recovery
  5. Table: Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Detroit, MI Recovery
  6. Table: Top Source States for Firearms​ with a Detroit, MI Recovery
  7. Table: Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with a Detroit, MI Recovery
  8. Table: Age of Possessors for Firearms​ with a Detroit, MI Recovery
  9. Analytical Criteria Used to Compile the Enclosed Statistics

 

ATF Firearms Trace Data Disclaimer

Firearm traces are designed to assist law enforcement authorities in conducting investigations by tracking the sale and possession of specific firearms. Law enforcement agencies may request firearms traces for any investigative reason, and those reasons are not necessarily reported to the federal government. Not all firearms used in crime are traced and not all firearms traced are used in crime.

Firearms selected for tracing are not chosen for purposes of determining which types, makes or models of firearms are used for illicit purposes. The firearms selected do not constitute a random sample and should not be considered representative of the larger universe of all firearms used by criminals, or any subset of that universe. Firearms are normally traced to the first retail seller, and sources reported for firearms traced do not necessarily represent the sources or methods by which firearms in general are acquired for use in crime.

 

Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced in Detroit, MI in Calendar Year 2019

4,103

 

Firearm Types with a Detroit, MI Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Pistols 2,942
Revolvers 470
Rifles 363
Shotguns 273
Machineguns 20
Derringers 18
Unknown Types 14
Other* 3

* Other includes a Combination, a Destructive Device and a Flare Gun.

 

Top Calibers Reported on Firearm Traces ​with a Detroit, MI Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
9mm 1,317
.40 Cal 680
.380 Cal 319
.45 Cal 279
.22 Cal 248
.38 Cal 242
12GA 210
7.62mm 114

NOTE: There were 632 additional traces that were associated with other calibers.​ There were 62 traces with an unknown caliber.

 

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Detroit, MI Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Carrying Concealed Weapon 1,366
Aggravated Assault 577
Dangerous Drugs 433
Found Firearm 405
Possession of Weapon 277
Homicide 211
Health - Safety 191
Firearm Under Investigation 140
Weapon Offense 73
Suicide 63

NOTE: There were 367 additional traces that were associated with other categories.

 

Top Source States for Firearms with a Detroit, MI Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Michigan 2,417
Kentucky 138
Ohio 134
West Virginia 84
Tennessee 70
Alabama 43
Georgia 40
Indiana 33
Florida 25
Texas 22
Pennsylvania 17
Illinois 16
Mississippi 15
Louisiana 12
North Carolina 11

NOTE: An additional 29 states and Puerto Rico accounted for 108 other traces. The source state was identified in 3,185 total traces.

 

Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with a Detroit, MI Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Under 3 Months 281
3 Months to Under 7 Months 199
7 Months to Under 1 Year 222
1 Year to Under 2 Years 377
2 Years to Under 3 Years 305
3 Years and Over 1,798

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 Detroit, MI Average Time-to-Crime: 8.29 Years

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 National Average Time-to-Crime: 8.29 Years

 

Age of Possessors for Firearms with a Detroit, MI Recovery

January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
17 and Under 106
18 to 21 393
22 to 24 418
25 to 30 820
31 to 40 662
41 to 50 461
Over 50 352

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 Detroit, MI Average Age of Possessor: 34 Years

1/1/2019-12/31/2019 National Average Age of Possessor: 35 Years

 

Analytical Criteria Used to Compile the Enclosed Statistics

Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced

  • Includes traces with a recovery city of Detroit, MI. Traces in which the recovery city was not provided were included when the requesting agency was the Detroit Police Department.
  • Includes Firearms Recovered and Traced between 1/1/2019 – 12/31/2019 or, if the recovery date was blank, firearms with trace entry dates between 1/1/2019 – 12/31/2019.
  • Duplicate traces, Firearms Not Recovered, Gun Buyback and Firearms Turned In are not included in this figure.​
  • Data was extracted from the Firearms Tracing System (FTS) on April 10, 2020.​
  • All traces may not have been submitted or completed at the time of this study.​

Firearm Types and Calibers with a Detroit, MI Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Detroit, MI Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.

Top Source States for Firearms with a Detroit, MI Recovery​

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Traces must identify a purchaser and the state in which the final dealer is located.

Time-to-Crime Rates for Firearms with a Detroit, MI Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Traces must identify a purchaser.
  • Time-to-Crime was calculated for those traces in which the purchase date could be subtracted ​from the recovery date.

Age of Possessors for Firearms with a Detroit, MI Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Includes traces that provide a possessor and the possessor’s date of birth.
  • Possessor’s age is calculated by subtracting the possessor’s date of birth from the recovery date.

 

View All 2019 Firearms Trace Data

Last Reviewed May 17, 2022