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Officials Say More Out-Of-State Guns Used To Commit Crimes In NYC

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- More guns from out-of-state are being used to commit crimes in New York City, officials said Wednesday in releasing the most recent available crime gun trace data.

In 2011, 90 percent of the 2,433 traceable guns used in crimes were from outside New York state, officials said. The year before, 86 percent of the 2,319 guns came from out-of-state.

"We're getting killed and we're getting killed with guns that come from elsewhere," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

NYC officials say more guns come from out-of-state

Most of the guns come from 10 states, particularly Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Pennsylvania. City officials said the states supplying illegal guns have weak gun laws.

"Despite all we do to keep our city safe, we are increasingly at the mercy of weak national gun laws and weak gun laws in other states,'' Bloomberg said. "We've done what we can, but it's unfortunately very easy to carry a gun from one state to another.''

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said he can't build a wall around the five boroughs, but "Congress can certainly construct sensible gun laws to strip away the incentives to buy guns in places like Georgia to kill police officers and other New Yorkers."

Bloomberg, an outspoken advocate for gun control, has already lambasted lax laws in many of the states, raising the ire of gun advocates.

NYC officials say more guns come from out-of-state

"To those who say 'stay out of our state,' our answer is: We'd love to, just as soon as you stop letting guns seep into the black market and get in the hands of criminals who murder our citizens,'' Bloomberg said.

The billionaire mayor said he would keep fighting to get laws changed and will continue to support candidates and elected officials across the country who agree with his gun control agenda.

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(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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