D.C. had 438 murders in 1989 and over 1300 woundings. 70% of them were gun related. This despite the fact that guns had been banned in the city 1300 . The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which compiles an annual report on guns retrieved in crimes in Washington, found 52 percent of those collected in 1989 came from Virginia, a slight increase over 1988, and 18 percent came from Maryland, up from 15 percent from the previous year, said Dick Pedersen of the ATF office covering Washington, Maryland and Virginia. A survey of the source of the guns seized in D.C. shows that 18% originated in Virginia , 18% in Maryland and the remainder had scattered origins. An analysis showed that most are handguns, 438 are semi-automatic weapons, and the majority were expensive weapons, of law-enforcement quality or better. The District of Columbia 's location, abutting Maryland and Virginia , demonstrates that a federal law is necessary. The National Rifle Association disagrees.
D.C. had 438 murders in 1989 and over 1300 woundings. 70% of them were gun related. This despite the fact that guns had been banned in the city 1300 . A survey of the source of the guns seized in D.C. shows that 18% originated in Virginia , 18% in Maryland and the remainder had scattered origins. An analysis showed that most are handguns, 438 are semi-automatic weapons, and the majority were expensive weapons, of law-enforcement quality or better. The District of Columbia 's location, abutting Maryland and Virginia , demonstrates that a federal law is necessary. The National Rifle Association disagrees.