ATF helping police trace guns used in recent Miami Gardens shootings

MIAMI GARDENS – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives lead agent in South Florida said his agency is helping police trace guns used in recent violence in Miami Gardens. 

Federal gun charges can carry longer sentences than state crimes. Though, ATF data published in April found that the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida accepted firearms trafficking cases filed by investigators between 2017-2021.

“People are scared,” Gregory Chest, who lives in Miami Gardens, said about his community.

Bursts of high-powered gunfire with bullets pelting cars, homes and windows during recent shootouts left marks that Chest, a decades-long resident and Army veteran, said feel worse after hearing about the ATF research.

The analysis found that prosecutors in the southern district of Florida accepted 47.8% of firearms trafficking cases during the four-year period studied.  In contrast, prosecutors in the Northern District of Florida accepted 81.3% of cases, according to ATF data.  The 48 cases declined by southern district prosecutors are more than all three Georgia districts combined, according to ATF data.

CBS News Miami messaged the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe for comment.  While no one replied Friday, his office charged 13 men and women for illegally buying and selling guns in the Miami area. 

“Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify targets who unlawfully traffic in and possess firearms, prosecute offenders and reduce gun violence,” Lapointe said in a news release about Friday’s charges.

When asked about the impact on Miami Gardens, Chest said, “It’s a big impact because of crime.   Like I said people (are) scared.  When you’re scared, you don’t do what you normally do.  You don’t bring your kids to the park.  You don’t walk.  You don’t do what other people do cause you stay inside or go inside early.”

ATF sent an agent to help Miami Gardens police calm recent violence, mostly through gun tracing.

“We stand with our state and local partners in the fight against violent crime,” Christoper A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Miami Field Division said Friday morning.

ATF recently moved to broaden the definition of arms dealers to slow illegal gun deals.  However, some said it does little about online, personal sales.

“It’s a very controversial topic within the firearms community,” Matt Miller, CEO of MCM Retail Group said.

Miller’s company runs two gun websites.  One buys firearms from people across the country.  The other sells them.

“I’ve seen cases of people who wanted to buy guns who weren’t able to that shouldn’t have been able to,” he said.  “So the ideal that they can just go out and meet some stranger somewhere to buy a gun to me is an area that we should look at closing.”

Back in Miami Gardens, Rasheeda Quinones rushed to her bus wanting more action from federal prosecutors.

“They’re not making a good choice (declining cases),” she said.  “They need to do something.”