The federal government has stepped up its scrutiny of stores that sell guns used in crimes, with the number singled out more than doubling in the past four years.
Which stores sell the most crime guns has been kept secret since 2003, under the George W. Bush administration. But a Freedom of Information Act request from USA TODAY unearthed a glimpse of them ― more than 1,300 across the nation.
They include 14 in Iowa ― five of them in the Des Moines metro. The others are three in the Cedar Rapids metro; two apiece in Sioux City and Davenport; and one each in Cedar Falls and Coralville.
The greatest share of outlets targeted in 2023 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are many of the largest sellers, including Scheels, Bass Pro Shops, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Fleet Farm, which together account for eight of the Iowa stores. But there also are local outlets, such as JT Guns and Supply in Des Moines, American Brothers in Arms in Sioux City and Cedar Valley Outfitters in Cedar Falls.