The District of Columbia had 438 murders in 1989 and over 1300 woundings . 70 % of them were gun related . This despite the fact that firearms had been banned in the city ten years before . A survey of the source of the guns seized in D.C. shows that 52 % originated in Virginia , 18 % in Maryland and the remainder had scattered origins . An analysis showed that most are handguns , half are semi - automatic weapons , and the majority were expensive weapons , of law - enforcement quality or better . Washington 's size , abutting Maryland and Virginia , demonstrates that a federal law is necessary . The study is based on traces of several hundred guns each year which are randomly selected, he said. The National Rifle Association disagrees .
The District of Columbia had 438 murders in 1989 and over 1300 woundings . 70 % of them were gun related . This despite the fact that firearms had been banned in the city ten years before . A survey of the source of the guns seized in D.C. shows that 52 % originated in Virginia , 18 % in Maryland and the remainder had scattered origins . An analysis showed that most are handguns , half are semi - automatic weapons , and the majority were expensive weapons , of law - enforcement quality or better . Washington 's size , abutting Maryland and Virginia , demonstrates that a federal law is necessary . The National Rifle Association disagrees .