(AJC) — A new report by a coalition of 500 U.S. mayors says Georgia is the top source of guns recovered in out-of-state crimes.
The group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, includes several members from metro Atlanta. The organization used newly available gun trace data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and says the analysisreleased Monday is the first of its kind.
The group found that Georgia exported 2,781 guns recovered in connection with crimes in other states. That put Georgia atop a list of “exporters” of “crime guns” in 2009. Adjusting for population, Georgia ranked 10th, exporting 28.3 guns per 100,000 inhabitants.