Firearms Trace Data: Puerto Rico - 2023

Data Source: Firearms Tracing System

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

 

Contents

  1. ATF Firearms Trace Data Disclaimer
  2. Table: Total Number of Firearms Recovered and ​Traced in Puerto Rico in Calendar Year 2023
  3. Table: Firearm Types with a Puerto Rico Recovery
  4. Table: Top Calibers Reported on Firearm Traces with a Puerto Rico Recovery
  5. Table: Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Puerto Rico Recovery
  6. Table: Top 15 Source States for Firearms​ with a Puerto Rico Recovery
  7. Table: Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with a Puerto Rico Recovery
  8. Table: Age of Possessors for Firearms​ with a Puerto Rico Recovery
  9. Table: Top Recovery Cities for Firearms with a Puerto Rico Recovery
  10. 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 Puerto Rico in Calendar Year 2023

2,001

 

Firearm Types with a Puerto Rico Recovery

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Pistols 1,562
Rifles 202
Revolvers 154
Shotguns 62
Unknown Types 9
Receivers/Frames 5
Other* 7

*Other includes Machineguns, Machinegun Conversion Devices, a Combination and a Derringer.

 

Top Calibers Reported on Firearm Traces ​with a Puerto Rico Recovery

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
9mm 781
.40 Cal 474
.45 Cal 111
.38 Cal 88
MULTI 84
.22 Cal 75
7.62mm 62
.223 Cal 49
.357 Cal 45
.380 Cal 45
12GA 45
5.56mm 45

NOTE: There were 59 additional traces that were associated with other calibers.​ There were 38 traces with an unknown caliber.

 

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Puerto Rico Recovery

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Firearm Under Investigation 942
Found Firearm 395
Possession of Weapon 278
Family Offense 191
Dangerous Drugs 46
Weapon Offense 39
Weapons Trafficking 32
Robbery 17
Homicide 15
Suicide - Attempted 10

NOTE: There were 36 additional traces that were associated with other categories.

 

Top 15 Source States for Firearms with a Puerto Rico Recovery

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Puerto Rico 578
Florida 452
Texas 109
Ohio 28
Georgia 27
Tennessee 20
California 19
Kentucky 18
Oklahoma 16
North Carolina 13
Indiana 12
Virginia 12
Alabama 10
Pennsylvania 9
Colorado 8
South Carolina 8

NOTE: An additional 27 states accounted for 89 other traces. The source state was identified in 1,428 total traces.

 

Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms​ with a Puerto Rico Recovery

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Under 3 Months 53
3 Months to Under 7 Months 73
7 Months to Under 1 Year 84
1 Year to Under 2 Years 186
2 Years to Under 3 Years 153
3 Years and Over 865

1/1/2023-12/31/2023 Puerto Rico Average Time-to-Crime: 8.00 Years

1/1/2023-12/31/2023 National Average Time-to-Crime: 6.76 Years

 

Age of Possessors for Firearms with a Puerto Rico Recovery

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
17 and Under 2
18 to 21 96
22 to 24 96
25 to 30 203
31 to 40 240
41 to 50 362
Over 50 270

1/1/2023-12/31/2023 Puerto Rico Average Age of Possessor: 41 Years

1/1/2023-12/31/2023 National Average Age of Possessor: 35 Years

 

Top Recovery Cities for Firearms with a Puerto Rico Recovery

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
San Juan 608
Carolina 120
Bayamon 112
Ponce 80
Toa Baja 60
Mayaguez 57
Trujillo Alto 49
Guaynabo 47
Caguas 41
Arecibo 37
Humacao 37

NOTE: There were 71 additional municipalities that accounted for 709 other traces. The recovery city could not be determined for 44 traces.

 

Analytical Criteria Used to Compile the Enclosed Statistics

Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced

  • Includes traces with a recovery state of Puerto Rico. Traces in which the recovery state was not provided were included when the requesting agency state was equal to Puerto Rico.
  • Includes Firearms Recovered and Traced between 1/1/2023 – 12/31/2023 or, if the recovery date was blank, firearms with trace entry dates between 1/1/2023 – 12/31/2023.
  • 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, 2024.​
  • All traces may not have been submitted or completed at the time of this study.​

Firearm Types and Calibers with a Puerto Rico Recovery

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

Top Categories Reported on Firearm Traces with a Puerto Rico Recovery

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

Top Source States for Firearms with a Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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.

Top Recovery Cities for Firearms with a Puerto Rico Recovery

  • Includes same criteria as Total Number of Firearms Recovered and Traced.
  • Includes traces with a recovery city or, if the recovery city was not provided, traces requested by agencies with jurisdiction only within that city.

 

View All 2023 Firearms Trace Data

Last Reviewed December 9, 2024