Firearms

SAN FRANCISCO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today delivered remarks on California Department of Justice’s preparations to protect California’s values, people, and natural resources ahead of a second Trump Administration. To view a recording of the press conference, please visit here. 

Attorney General Bonta's Remarks as Prepared for Delivery:

As the reality of a second Trump Administration takes hold, I know there is a great deal of fear, sadness, anxiety, and panic. 

I understand. 

I’m here today to reassure you that in California, progress will prevail. 

No matter who is in the White House, no matter who holds control of Congress, in California we will keep moving forward. 

In California, we will choose calm over chaos. 

Fact over fiction.

Belonging over blame.

Unity over division. 

“Us and we” over “I and me.” 

It’s why we’re the 5th largest economy in the world. Not in spite of our commitment to workers, consumers, and the environment, because of it. 

Because we’re the largest and most diverse state in the nation.

Because we believe in the power of inclusivity.

Because we believe in truth over lies. Hope over hate. Light over dark.

Because  we believe in looking forward.

It’s who we are in the Golden State. It’s in our DNA. Nothing and no one can change that. 

As Attorney General, I’ll continue to use the full force of the law and authority of this office to address injustice. 

To stand up for all people, especially those who have long been overlooked and undervalued.

To safeguard reproductive rights. 

And advocate for more housing — especially more affordable housing for lower and middle-income families just trying to get by.

I’ll continue to take on greedy corporate giants and fight for more affordable gas, groceries, and everything in between.  

I’ll continue to defend our world-renowned natural resources and protect them for generations to come. 

Continue to fight for clean water to drink and clean air to breathe.

Continue to crack down on illicit guns on our streets and get fentanyl out of our neighborhoods. 

Continue to fight for workers.

I’ll continue to protect, defend, and serve every single Californian. No matter your politics. 

I’m here to ensure every person — no matter how they look, how much money they make, where they’re from, who they love, how they identify, or how they pray — can pursue their version of the California Dream. 

A fair wage and good benefits.  

A safe and affordable place to live.  

Affordable and accessible health care. 

Good schools to send our kids to. 

Safe neighborhoods to raise our families. 

That’s my promise to you, no matter who is in the White House.  

We’ve been here before.

We lived through Trump 1.0. 

We know what he’s capable of. 

We know what plans he has in store. 

The silver lining is just that: we know. 

We know to take Trump at his word when he says he’ll roll back environmental protections, go after our immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, attack our civil rights, and restrict access to essential reproductive care.

Which means, we won’t be flat-footed come January.

You can be sure that as California Attorney General, if Trump attacks your rights: I’ll be there. 

If Trump comes after your freedoms: I’ll be there. 

If Trump jeopardizes your safety and well-being: I’ll be there.

California DOJ did it before and we’ll do it again.  

During the last Trump Administration, California DOJ fought to stop illegal rollbacks and proposals that would’ve harmed the well-being, health, safety, and civil rights of our people and of people across the country. 

That would have caused irrevocable damage to our environment.

No matter who is in charge of the federal government…

No matter what the incoming Administration has in store… California will remain the steadfast beacon of progress it has long been.  

A constant, unwavering, immoveable force to be reckoned with.  

We’ll continue to be a check on overreach and push back on abuse of power. 

Be the antidote to dangerous, extremist, hateful vitriol.

Be the blueprint of progress for the nation to look to.

Remember: in moments of chaos in D.C., you can always look to California for calm resolve. 

California leaders across the state are ready to stand arm-in-arm. 

Governor Newsom and every single Constitutional Officer;  

Senator Padilla and Senator-elect Schiff;  

Democratic members of Congress; 

Pro Tem McGuire, Speaker Rivas, and the California Legislature; 

Mayors, supervisors, and city councilmembers from San Francisco to San Diego are ready to fight for our California values. 

For our people. For our environment.

For progress and justice.

And as necessary, we’re ready to take on the challenges of a second Trump Administration — together.

While a great deal of change is on the horizon…

California’s path to progress remains full steam ahead.

It may not always be linear. Progress so rarely is. 

It zigs and zags. Takes frustrating detours. Inches forward and backward and forward again. 

The detours and setbacks don’t define our progress.

Our commitment to forward momentum defines our progress. Defines us. 

It’s what we do next that will define us. 

If you’re feeling despondent today, remember that you’re not alone. 

In California, we’re not looking back. We’re not moving back. 

We’re California! We’ll meet any challenges head on and rise to the occasion.

As is so often said, as California goes, so goes the nation.

In the days and months and years to come, all eyes will look west. 

In California, they’ll see: we’re still moving forward.

Thank you. 

Blackhawk Manufacturing, Glockstore, and MDX permanently prohibited from manufacturing or selling ghost guns in or into California

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who were assisted by volunteer counsel from Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and Keker, Van Nest & Peters, LLP, today announced that final judgments were entered against Blackhawk Manufacturing (Blackhawk), GS Performance LLC (Glockstore), and MDX Corporation (MDX) as part of a settlement with the companies. Pursuant to the judgments, the companies will be permanently prohibited from manufacturing or selling unserialized ghost gun kits and firearm precursor parts in California. Firearm precursor parts are items that may be easily converted into a frame or receiver of a firearm, or that are marketed as such. The companies will also pay civil penalties in the following amounts: $500,000 from Blackhawk, $120,000 from Glockstore, and $55,000 from MDX. The judgments resolve allegations that the companies violated California and federal law in their manufacturing, advertising, and sale of ghost gun kits and firearm precursor parts.  

“The manufacture and sale of ghost gun kits has created a largely chaotic industry that is a massive threat to public safety,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “As firearm-related deaths and injuries rise, we must look for upstream interventions that get to the crux of the gun violence epidemic. Getting these manufacturers and retailers to keep untraceable ghost guns off the market is a big win for public health and safety in California.”

“The influx of unlawful and untraceable ghost guns poses a serious public safety issue to residents of San Francisco and the State at large,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “This lawsuit should serve as a reminder that firearms laws must be followed, particularly with respect to the importation and sale of firearm precursor parts into California. I am pleased to have worked with Attorney General Bonta and our pro bono partners to achieve this important result and will not hesitate to take action in the future to enforce state and federal gun laws.” 

“This is huge for California and the national fight against ghost guns.These reckless ghost gun sellers were selling ghost gun kits to California consumers who could not lawfully assemble them. Keeping these untraceable guns out of the state will save lives," said Esther Sanchez-Gomez, Litigation Director, GIFFORDS Law Center. "We were proud to work with Attorney General Bonta, San Francisco District Attorney Jenkins, and Keker, Van Nest & Peters, LLP to secure this critical win for the people of California.”

“We are proud to work alongside Attorney General Bonta, District Attorney Jenkins, and the Giffords Law Center to help end the manufacture, distribution, and sale of ghost gun kits in California,” said Brook Dooley, a partner with the law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters. “These manufacturers have circumvented California’s gun safety laws for far too long, helping to promote an alarming public safety crisis. The unchecked proliferation of ghost guns will no longer undermine the safety of our communities.”

Ghost gun kits, which commonly contain firearm precursor parts, pose a serious public safety threat. The kits can be used to self-assemble a fully functional weapon in less than 30 minutes and are typically sold without a serial number or background check. As a result, people legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms could obtain ghost guns. The lack of serial numbers on these firearms also render them essentially untraceable, making them attractive to criminals and impeding law enforcement’s ability to prevent and solve crimes. According to data reported by the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Firearms, the number of ghost guns recovered by law enforcement in California increased by more than 49,000% from 2015 to 2021. 

The complaint, which was filed in 2021, alleges that the defendants violated California consumer protection laws, and state and federal laws governing firearms. According to the complaint, the defendants violated and undermined the federal Gun Control Act by selling ghost gun kits and firearm precursor parts that are not serialized and by failing to comply with point-of-sale requirements, including background checks and recordkeeping requirements. As alleged in the complaint, the defendants also violated California’s Unsafe Handgun Act by selling kits and firearm precursor parts that produce handguns that lack required safety features, and two of the defendants violated California’s Manufacture of Firearms Law by manufacturing unfinished frames and receivers without serializing them. The complaint further alleges that the defendants misled consumers about serialization, eligibility, and safety requirements for legally assembling a firearm under California law and falsely led them to believe that the firearms built from the defendants’ products were legal.

Under the terms of the judgments, Blackhawk, Glockstore, and MDX are each permanently prohibited from manufacturing or selling any unserialized firearm precursor parts in or into California. They are also prohibited from making any statements that falsely suggest it is legal to purchase, sell, assemble, or own ghost guns or firearm precursor parts in California. The companies must also prevent future violations of California’s firearms laws by training and educating employees and providing notices to customers.

Since the complaint was filed, California’s AB 1621 was passed in 2022, which made the sale of unserialized firearm precursor parts generally illegal in the state and has helped to stem the tide of ghost guns. These judgments hold the defendants accountable for their conduct prior to the enactment of AB 1621; they do so under longstanding federal and state laws governing firearms, unsafe handguns, and fair business practices, and reinforce the applicability of those laws to the ghost gun industry.

Attorney General Bonta is committed to keeping Californians safe and stands with partners throughout the state to continue tackling the issue of gun violence strategically and aggressively by:

• Defending California’s commonsense gun laws, including its assault weapons ban and restrictions on large-capacity magazines.
• Educating the public on gun violence prevention through the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, including through data reports issued by the office to provide a robust review of gun violence and gun-related domestic violence data in California and throughout the U.S. and to help guide policy and strategy discussions related to reducing gun violence.
• Drafting and implementing regulations defining firearm precursor parts and guiding the public on firearm precursor part identification.
• Advocating for gun laws including by sponsoring Assembly Bill 1594 to increase accountability for the firearm industry and supporting The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act (AB 28) to make long-term investments in community-based gun violence prevention programs, school mental health, gun crime investigations, and victim services.
• Working to strengthen federal laws to protect the public from ghost guns.
• Seizing guns from prohibited persons in the  Armed and Prohibited Persons System, and through multiagency sweeps in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, conducting operations targeting individuals attempting to illegally purchase guns, and collaborating with local law enforcement partners.
• Calling for an investigation into an ammunition plant that sells military grade ammunition to the public that is subsidized by the American taxpayer. 

A copy of the complaint is available here. A copy of the judgment as to Blackhawk is available here, and a copy of the judgment as to Glockstore and MDX can be found here.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, joined an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in support of Colorado’s law requiring a three-day waiting period for firearm purchases. Attorney General Bonta joined the brief in Rocky Mountain Gun Owners v. Polis after the district court denied a preliminary injunction that would have halted Colorado's enforcement of the law. States across the nation—including California—protect their citizens through the application of similar waiting period laws because such laws have been proven to promote public safety and curb gun violence. 

“Reasonable waiting period laws for firearm purchases allow states to implement background checks and create a buffer between gun purchases and gun acquisition, which have been proven to help prevent senseless and impulsive acts of gun violence in our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Gun violence is an urgent public health issue—we must continue defending upstream interventions that work; and waiting periods simply work.”

In today’s brief, the states argue that Colorado's waiting period law is consistent with the long-standing practice of regulating gun safety and shielding communities from gun violence by assuring that only law-abiding and responsible persons acquire guns. Colorado’s waiting period resembles measures taken by other states that explicitly impose waiting periods or the laws of states that functionally impose waiting periods through their licensing and background check schemes. The immediate purchase and acquisition of a gun allows people to act on temporary emotions and impulses, which can increase the risk of both gun suicide and gun homicide. Research has repeatedly shown waiting period laws that delay the purchase of firearms by a few days can reduce gun homicides by approximately 17%, and suicide rates by 7- 11%.  

Attorney General Bonta stands with partners throughout the state to continue tackling the issue of gun violence strategically and aggressively by:

• Defending California’s commonsense gun laws, including its assault weapons ban and restrictions on large-capacity magazines.
• Educating the public on gun violence prevention through the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, including through the first-ever data report issued by the office to provide a robust review of gun violence data in California and throughout the U.S. and to help guide policy and strategy discussions related to reducing gun violence.
• Advocating for gun laws including by sponsoring Assembly Bill 1594 to increase accountability for the firearm industry, working to strengthen federal laws to protect the public from ghost guns, and successfully defending California’s laws to prevent gun violence.
• Seizing guns from prohibited persons in the Armed and Prohibited Persons System, and through multiagency sweeps in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, conducting operations targeting individuals attempting to illegally purchase guns, and collaborating with local law enforcement partners.
• Ending the sale of illegal firearms through litigation against ghost gun retailers, and by putting a stop to the sale of illegal assault weapons in Orange County  

In filing the brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Northern Mariana Islands.

A copy of the brief can be found here. 

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today secured a court decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit allowing the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue sharing data with qualified gun violence researchers to better direct strategies to prevent gun violence. The decision in Doe v. Bonta allows DOJ to continue to provide the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center and other qualified gun violence researchers with data under Assembly Bill 173 (AB 173), which is necessary to conduct research evaluating the leading causes and impacts of gun violence as well as effective responses. 

“Enabling rigorous empirical research is crucial as we strive to combat the scourge of gun violence within our state,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Ninth Circuit’s decision marks a significant victory in our endeavor to curb gun violence in California. The information shared under AB 173 is pivotal: It enables groundbreaking research that supports informed policymaking aimed at reducing and preventing firearm violence and saving lives.”

Since the 1950s, California law has required DOJ to maintain records of handgun sales in California, and recently added sales of long guns and ammunition. This data provides a unique opportunity for gun violence research not available anywhere else. Since at least 1989, researchers at the University of California, Davis have been utilizing that data in studies aimed at understanding and preventing various forms of firearm violence. In 2016, the Legislature directed the Regents of the University of California to establish a Firearm Violence Research Center with the goals of producing interdisciplinary research addressing the nature and consequences of firearm violence, and working with policymakers to identify, implement, and evaluate innovative firearm violence prevention policies and programs. 

To aid in those goals, the Legislature mandated through AB 173 that DOJ provide this firearms data to the Firearm Violence Research Center and, at the Attorney General’s discretion, to other qualified researchers. Five registered California gun owners challenged the legislation and claimed it violated their Second Amendment rights and their right to informational privacy under the Fourteenth Amendment, among other claims. On Wednesday, May 8, the Ninth Circuit issued a unanimous published decision affirming the complete dismissal of this challenge to the law.

A copy of the court’s decision can be found here.

LOS ANGELES – As part of a statewide effort to address gun violence, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today was joined by local leaders for a roundtable discussion. The roundtable in Los Angeles is the second in a series of meetings led by Attorney General Bonta across the state to bring together leaders of community-based organizations to discuss best practices in addressing gun violence. The primary objective of the roundtables is to formulate effective approaches for addressing gun violence in communities, foster knowledge about accessible resources for the public, and enhance partnerships statewide to more effectively prevent shootings and interrupt cycles of trauma and violence in California. 

“Gun violence is an epidemic that pervades our society,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Just this year alone, we’ve already had 116 mass shootings and we’re only midway through April. This roundtable discussion is one of the many ways we are fighting this disease. Preventing gun violence must begin in our communities by strengthening relationships and fostering an environment of support and collaboration. I’m proud to stand with our local partners to identify best practices, foster community involvement, and work toward community-driven solutions to eliminate gun violence and protect survivors. As California Attorney General, I am doubling down on California’s gun safety efforts: I am defending our commonsense gun safety laws in court, cracking down on enforcing those laws, and working in collaboration with local community violence intervention and prevention experts to disrupt cycles of gun violence.” 

As we celebrate a downward trend in violence, we must remember that any lives lost by gun violence is too many—we aim for zero: zero homicides and zero gunshots,” said Ben “Taco” Owens of Detours Mentoring Group. “Looking forward, we must collectively continue advocating for more investment in community violence intervention.”

"As a survivor and long-time activist in this movement, I have learned that so many instances of gun violence are preventable - especially when it comes to gun suicides and unintentional shootings,” said Mia Livas Porter of Moms Demand Action. “Gun violence is a public health epidemic. And it is going to take every single one of us to address this uniquely American crisis - from parents asking about safe gun storage on playdates to our electeds and government agencies at every level using their platform to encourage gun safety. “

“The first of all civil rights is safety. And the first of all freedoms is freedom from violence,” said Connie Rice, Member of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and Co-crafter of LA’s Pioneering Violence Reduction Strategy. “The violence and gun reduction pioneers joining Attorney General Bonta today know that safety in high violence neighborhoods requires far more than handcuffs—it requires concerted community-government partnership and the resources to carry out all-hands-on- deck violence reduction strategies that lead to safer neighborhoods.” 

As part of the effort to advance justice for all Californians, California Attorney General Rob Bonta took quick action upon entering office to establish the Office of Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement (CARE) within the California Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2021. CARE works directly with community organizations, state and local elected officials, and members of the public to help ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives in the state’s work. Specifically, CARE focuses on cultivating relationships with historically marginalized and underrepresented communities in line with DOJ’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work on behalf of the people of California, including in the fight for environmental, economic, and social justice.

In September of 2022, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the launch of the CA DOJ’s first-in-the-nation Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP), a unit dedicated to developing strategies and working with stakeholders statewide to address the gun violence epidemic. This innovative new office — the first Office of Gun Violence Prevention under the leadership of a state attorney general — provides centralized support from the DOJ for partners to implement strategic and innovative programs to reduce gun violence.  The OGVP’s mission is to reduce and prevent gun violence, firearm injury, and related trauma. The OGVP supports DOJ’s ongoing gun violence reduction efforts led by the Bureau of Firearms and DOJ's litigation sections — including the Department’s seizure of firearms from dangerous individuals using the  Armed and Prohibited Persons System, (APPS), prosecution of firearms trafficking cases, and defense of California’s commonsense gun laws. The OGVP will examine a broad range of factors — from firearm availability to effective resources for crisis prevention — to reduce the harm caused by firearms and make Californians healthier and safer. The OGVP aims to reduce gun violence by promoting research and data collection, increasing awareness about effective legal and policy strategies, and collaborating with federal, state, and local partners.

In August 2023, the office released its first data report to provide a robust review of gun violence data in California and throughout the U.S. to help guide policy and strategy discussions related to reducing gun violence. The report highlighted California’s successes in preventing gun violence, and it shined a light on successful strategies and further areas for improvements. For example, over the last 30 years, California has reduced its gun violence rate compared to the rest of the United States; once 50% above average, California’s firearm homicide rate is now 33% below the rest of the United States. Additionally, if the firearm mortality rate in the rest of the United States had matched California’s between 2013-2022, there would have been nearly 140,000 fewer firearm-related deaths nationwide in that decade alone. The report also emphasized the importance of community-based efforts to protect survivors and interrupt cycles of violence: people who had survived a gun assault injury in California were over 60 times more likely to be killed in another shooting compared to the statewide average. 

In November 2023, the office released its second data report that provided an in-depth look at the ties between domestic violence and firearms. The report examined data illustrating the impact of firearms-related domestic violence, including both family and intimate partner-related violence with firearms. The report documented California’s long-term progress in reducing domestic violence involving firearms and recent challenges arising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the report highlighted California’s efforts to empower and protect survivors by providing a range of support services, offering crisis intervention and safety planning options, providing for Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVROs), and enforcing laws to protect against gun violence.

Attorney General Bonta stands with partners throughout the state to continue tackling the issue of gun violence strategically and aggressively by:

• Defending California’s commonsense gun laws, including its assault weapons ban and restrictions on large-capacity magazines.
• Educating the public on gun violence prevention through the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, including through data reports issued by the office to provide a robust review of gun violence and gun-related domestic violence data in California and throughout the U.S. and to help guide policy and strategy discussions related to reducing gun violence.
•  Advocating for gun laws including by sponsoring Assembly Bill 1594 to increase accountability for the firearm industry and supporting The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act (AB 28) to make long-term investments in community-based gun violence prevention programs, school mental health, gun crime investigations, and victim services.
• Working to strengthen federal laws to protect the public from ghost guns.
• Seizing guns from prohibited persons in the  Armed and Prohibited Persons System,  and through multiagency sweeps in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, conducting operations targeting individuals attempting to illegally purchase guns, and collaborating with local law enforcement partners.
• Ending the sale of illegal firearms through litigation against ghost gun retailers, and by putting a stop to the sale of illegal assault weapons in Orange County.
• Calling for an investigation into an ammunition plant that sells military grade ammunition to the public that is subsidized by the American taxpayer.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general urging the United States Supreme Court to review a decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that held that a rule by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regulating ghost guns was inconsistent with the federal Gun Control Act of 1968. The coalition filed the brief in support of ATF defending the “Final Rule” in VanDerStok v. Garland that went into effect in January 2023, and recognizes that weapon parts kits and certain partially complete frames and receivers are “firearms” under the Gun Control Act. Under federal law, manufacturers and dealers must keep records of, conduct background checks on, and serialize “firearms” to prevent them from falling into the hands of children or criminals—and to allow the weapons to be traced if they are used to commit crimes. ATF issued the rule to impose those requirements on ghost guns.

“These requirements are crucial in keeping ghost guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals and critical to preventing and solving violent, firearm-related crimes,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In the state of California, we have seen firsthand the effectiveness of our commonsense gun laws and it is imperative that similar laws are implemented nationwide. Each year, an increasing number of unregistered firearms and components find their way into our state from areas with laxer gun control laws. This not only leaves law enforcement in the dark but also puts our communities at risk. It is a heartbreaking reality that children and teenagers in our country are more likely to lose their lives due to guns than any illness or accident. We cannot accept this as the norm which is why I am committed to advocating for regulations by the ATF in order to ensure the well-being and security of all Californians.” 

The lawsuit, filed by individual gun owners and pro-gun groups, seeks to block ATF’s rule that would help law enforcement protect communities from ghost guns, or illegal firearms that lack a serial number. The unserialized weapons allow unlicensed manufacturers and illegal possessors to bypass state laws, including California's requirements on firearm ownership recording and background checks, rendering them largely untraceable by law enforcement. This is the fourth time Attorney General Bonta has defended the ATF’s rule, as he joined similar briefs for lawsuits pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and another in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. 

The rule regulates ghost guns by applying critical definitions in the Gun Control Act. Specifically, the rule makes it clear that weapon parts kits and partially complete frames or receivers — the key building blocks for ghost guns — are “firearms” under the Act if they can be readily converted to function as such or are sold with a compatible jig or template. In applying the definition of “firearms” to ghost guns, the rule helps ensure that these kits and partially complete frames or receivers are subject to the same serialization and background check requirements as conventionally manufactured guns. This helps close a dangerous loophole in firearms regulation that enabled people to evade existing gun laws and traffic ghost guns into states, like California, that prohibit these dangerous weapons. The brief filed today argues that the rule falls within the Gun Control Act and was designed to fill in the gaps in state-by-state enforcement.

A copy of the brief can be found here.

DOJ seized 1,443 firearms through the APPS program, including 88 ghost guns 

DOJ contacted more individuals than ever before — more than 25,000

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the release of the 2023 Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS) annual program report. In 2006, California became the first state in the nation to establish a system for identifying and recovering illegally possessed firearms from individuals who fall into a prohibited status that at one point purchased the firearm legally. The APPS database works to identify individuals who legally procured firearms and later failed to relinquish those weapons after they became prohibited from possessing them. It remains one of the only systems of its kind in the nation. In general, prohibited persons in APPS include individuals who have been convicted of a felony or a violent misdemeanor, are subject to a domestic violence or other restraining order, or suffer from serious mental illness. Through the APPS program in 2023, DOJ recovered 1,443 firearms from illegally armed individuals — including 683 handguns, 364 rifles, 216 shotguns, 39 assault weapons, 88 ghost guns, 51 receivers or frames, and 2 short-barreled shotguns.

“I take great pride in the efforts of our Special Agents as they work diligently to protect and serve the citizens of California,” said Attorney General Bonta. “These courageous individuals are saving lives. They may not always receive public recognition, but their tireless commitment is proactively preventing incidents of gun violence by removing illegally possessed firearms from our communities. As the primary law enforcement official for California, my utmost priority is upholding public safety and protecting our communities from the looming threat posed by gun violence. When firearms fall into the wrong hands, it endangers all of us. We will persist in collaborating with the Governor's Office, Legislature, and local partners to effectively tackle this issue of gun violence head-on.”

The Bureau of Firearms (BOF) within the California Department of Justice's (DOJ) Division of Law Enforcement leads DOJ’s APPS efforts. The 2023 APPS report provides an analysis of the APPS database, a breakdown of Gun Violence Reduction Program Awards, and describes how BOF staff and Special Agents increased enforcement efforts and collaborated with local law enforcement.

Key statistics from the 2023 report include:  

• For the second year in a row, more individuals were removed from the prohibited list than added in 2023. In 2023, DOJ removed 9,051 people from the APPS database of armed and prohibited persons and added 8,633 people, a decrease of 1.75%. Substantial decreases have only occurred in three previous years since the APPS program came into existence.
• In total, agents made approximately 25,500 contacts in 2023. DOJ made 1,500 more contacts in 2023 compared to 2022. This is the highest number of contacts since the APPS program came into existence.
  • 2023 saw the fewest additions to the prohibited persons list since 2014, following a steady decline across the past several years. This decrease is due in part to the recent emphasis on seizing firearms at or near the time of prohibition, consistent with DOJ’s recent recommendations.   
  • The number of people in the APPS database of recorded firearm owners grew by 144,242 in 2023. These individuals did not own a registered firearm at the start of 2023 and purchased a firearm during the year. 
• A key focus for APPS enforcement efforts is recovering firearms from people who are illegally armed in violation of court restraining orders. In 2023, individuals prohibited, at least in part, due to a restraining order made up over 50% of those disarmed due to APPS efforts. This shows the crucial role APPS plays in protecting victims of domestic violence, workplace violence, and other victims from further or potential harm.
• DOJ’s agents seized a total of 88 ghost guns in 2023, a 63% increase compared to the 54 ghost guns seized during 2022 APPS investigations. 

2023 APPS Operations

DOJ collaborates with local law enforcement agencies throughout the state on individual APPS operations, as well as sweeps, or operations that occur over multiple days within a specific area. A list of operations can be found at the back of the report. Some notable examples include:  

Los Angeles County: In January of 2023, a Los Angeles resident attempted to purchase ammunition and was flagged as prohibited through the ammunition eligibility check process. During the service of the search warrant, agents located one unregistered assault weapon, five rifles, three shotguns, one handgun, one large-capacity magazine, six standard capacity magazines, and approximately 3,700 rounds of ammunition. 

Orange County: In July of 2023, DOJ identified a subject who resided in Villa Park, California, and was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms due to having a domestic violence restraining order issued against him. Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence and during the service of that warrant they located nine handguns, four shotguns, one assault rifle, 13 rifles, 30 ammunition magazines, and 405 rounds of ammunition.

San Luis Obispo County:  In October of 2023, DOJ identified a subject who resided in Paso Robles, California, who was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms due to a mental health commitment. The subject had 50 firearms recorded in his name. Agents contacted the subject, searched his residence, located and seized 281 long guns (both shotguns and rifles), 227 handguns, 92 standard capacity magazines, 25 high-capacity magazines, and approximately 28,000 rounds of ammunition.

About the Bureau of Firearms

DOJ’s BOF serves the people of California through education, regulation, and enforcement actions regarding the manufacture, sale, ownership, safety training, and transfer of firearms and ammunition. BOF staff are leaders in providing firearms expertise and information to law enforcement, legislators, and the general public in a comprehensive program to promote legitimate and responsible firearms possession and use by California residents. BOF is looking to hire additional Special Agents and more information on assessments for relevant job openings can be found on DOJ's website here: oag.ca.gov/careers/exams.  

A copy of the report can be found here. 

A video highlighting the work that the APPS team does can be found here.

Large-capacity magazine and assault weapons bans help prevent mass shootings, are consistent with Second Amendment

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of Connecticut’s restrictions on large-capacity magazines (LCMs) and assault weapons in National Association for Gun Rights v. Lamont.

“Large capacity magazines and assault weapons have been used in many horrific mass shootings around the country, including right here in California,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Restricting large capacity magazines and assault weapons is consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen decision and helps us prevent unspeakable tragedies like the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut, which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults. Our commonsense gun safety measures here in California have a track record of reducing the threat of gun violence in our communities and we support any state that does the same.” 

For the last three decades, California has restricted the manufacture, distribution, transportation, importation, sale, lending, and possession of firearms that qualify as “assault weapons” under California law. Those weapons have specific tactical enhancements or configurations that make the weapons more dangerous to the public and law enforcement and more susceptible to criminal misuse. Data reflect that assault weapons in general are used disproportionately in crime relative to their market presence, that they are used often to commit mass shootings, and that they inflict more numerous and more extensive injuries than other weapons.

In California, it has been illegal to manufacture, import, keep or offer for sale, give, or lend LCMs with more than 10 rounds of ammunition since 2000. It has been illegal to purchase and receive LCMs since 2013. Proposition 63, which was passed by Californians in 2016, added a ban on the possession of LCMs. Firearms equipped with LCMs are estimated to account for up to 36% of crime guns nationwide. In mass shootings where four or more were people killed from 2015 to 2022, 60% involved firearms with LCMs and accounted for a third of all mass shooting deaths and more than 80% of all mass shooting injuries. 

A copy of the brief can be found here.

 SAN FRANCISCO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of a suspect in Richmond with a large cache of illegal firearms, including assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and approximately one million rounds of ammunition. The suspect is alleged to be legally barred from owning weapons.

“This arrest demonstrates exactly why the Armed and Prohibited Persons System is vital for the safety of our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In our efforts to retrieve guns from a prohibited individual, we found hundreds of allegedly illegal weapons and approximately one million rounds of ammunition. I am grateful for our Bureau of Firearms agents’ and local law enforcement partners' work in getting these illegal weapons out of the hands of this prohibited individual.”

On January 31, 2024, agents from the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Bureau of Firearms (BOF) Contra Costa Anti-Violence Support Effort (CASE) Task Force assisted by the BOF Dublin office and Contra Costa County Probation Officers served a search warrant at the suspect's residence in Richmond. During the search, several suspected grenades were discovered and the Walnut Creek Police Department Bomb Squad and Travis Air Force Base Bomb Squad were asked to respond, and the grenades were found to be inert. After a thorough search of the residence, DOJ agents seized approximately 11 military-style machine guns, 133 handguns, 37 rifles, 60 assault rifles, 7 shotguns, 20 silencers, 4 flare guns, 3,000 large capacity magazines, approximately one million rounds of miscellaneous caliber ammunition, and dozens of rifle receivers and pistol frames.

Visuals of the weapons seized can be found here: image 1, image 2, image 3, video

In 2006, California became the first state in the nation to establish a system for tracking firearm owners who fall into a prohibited status. The APPS database works to identify individuals who lawfully procured firearms and later became prohibited from owning or possessing them. In general, prohibited persons in APPS include individuals who were convicted of a felony or a violent misdemeanor, were placed under a domestic violence or other restraining order, or suffer from serious mental illness. The 2022 APPS Report was released in April of 2023 and the 2023 APPS Report will be released in March 2024. DOJ’s BOF serves the people of California through education, regulation, and enforcement actions regarding the manufacture, sale, ownership, safety training, and transfer of firearms and ammunition. BOF staff are leaders in providing firearms expertise and information to law enforcement, legislators, and the general public in a comprehensive program to ensure legitimate and responsible firearm possession and use by California residents. BOF is looking to hire additional special agents and more information on assessments for relevant job openings can be found on DOJ's website at oag.ca.gov/careers/exams.

SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today will appeal the district court decision striking down California’s ammunition laws adopted by Proposition 63 and amended by SB 1235, and will seek an immediate stay of the district court decision pending appeal to maintain California’s life-saving, constitutional restrictions on ammunition in Rhode v. Bonta. These commonsense ammunition laws require that transactions take place in face-to-face interaction at a licensed ammunition vendor, that a background check be submitted before the ammunition sale or transfer may be completed, that a purchaser demonstrate proof of lawful presence in this country, and that ammunition vendors report certain information to the California Department of Justice. Attorney General Bonta will urge the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the district court’s decision, which will ensure that these vital public safety protections remain in place to prevent gun-related deaths and injuries in California communities.

“These laws were put in place as a safeguard and a way of protecting the people of California — and they work,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We will continue to fight for our authority to keep Californians safe. We will move promptly to seek an immediate stay of this decision so these ammunition laws can remain in effect. The Supreme Court was clear that Bruen did not create a regulatory straitjacket for states — and we believe that the district court got this wrong. We will move quickly to correct this  dangerous mistake. We will not stop in our efforts to protect the safety of communities, and Californians’ rights to go about their business without fear of becoming victims of gun violence, while at the same time respecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners.”

With the proliferation of self-assembled, fully-functional, and unserialized “ghost guns” that are typically made from user-friendly kits purchased online, these ammunition laws serve as a backstop to the acquisition of firearms by prohibited persons. Ghost guns have hampered the ability of law enforcement to trace crime guns and investigate firearm trafficking. The background checks for ammunition purchases help to identify prohibited persons that have illegally acquired or manufactured firearms and prevent them from acquiring ammunition for use in those weapons.

The plaintiffs challenge a California law that requires the California Department of Justice to pre-approve all ammunition sales, which must be conducted by, or pass through, a licensed ammunition vendor. The plaintiffs allege that the law violates the Second Amendment, the Dormant Commerce Clause, and Equal Protection Clause, and that the law is preempted by federal law. The federal district court previously granted the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction, prohibiting the Attorney General from enforcing the law pending resolution of the case. The next day, the Attorney General secured a stay of that decision from the Ninth Circuit, allowing California to continue to enforce the law while the case is pending. After New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen was decided in June 2022, the Ninth Circuit vacated the preliminary injunction and remanded the case back to the federal district court. The Attorney General will now once again appeal to the Ninth Circuit.

Gun violence remains a growing threat to public safety throughout the nation, as mass shootings are on the rise. On average, there are over 110 gun deaths each day and nearly 41,000 each year in the U.S. Guns are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, with U.S. children being more likely to die from gun violence than in any other comparable country. In 2021, California was ranked as the #1 state for gun safety by Giffords Law Center, and the state saw a 37% lower gun death rate than the national average. According to the CDC, California’s gun death rate was the 44th lowest in the nation and the gun death rate for children is 58% lower than the national average.