Despite ban, Baltimore police recover more guns with high-capacity mags

By Andrew Shepperson

Handguns with extended magazines seized by Baltimore police in April 2016 (Photo: The Baltimore Sun)
Baltimore police confiscated more guns with high-capacity magazines in 2016 than any period of time during the last seven years, despite a four-year-old Maryland ban on the magazines’ sale and manufacture.
According to an analysis of police data conducted by The Trace, in 2016, Baltimore police recovered 450 guns equipped with high-capacity magazines, defined by the state of Maryland as magazines that carry at least 11 rounds.
Approximately 22 percent of all recovered guns had high capacity magazines, 4 percentage points greater than numbers from 2013, the bloody year that led lawmakers to pass the high-capacity magazine ban.
Police say criminals prefer larger magazines, as they can fire off more rounds before having to reload. A Baltimore Sun investigation last year showed that corpses with at least 10 gunshot wounds have doubled in the past decade.
So far in 2017, the number of shootings and homicides has increased by 40 percent in Baltimore, coming after an awful 2016 that saw the second highest number of homicides on record.
Baltimore police spokesperson T.J. Smith told The Trace that police officers often work crime scenes with numerous shell cases spread throughout.
“We’re dealing with absolute criminals who

Source: Guns.com