Justice Department rolls out 5 firearms trafficking strike forces to tackle gun violence

Washington — The Justice Department on Thursday is launching five gun trafficking strike forces to tackle gun violence and curb the supply of firearms being illegally trafficked into key regions nationwide, the latest in a series of steps taken by the Biden administration to confront a surge in violent crime.

Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco will unveil the five cross-jurisdictional strike forces during a visit to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Later on Thursday, Garland will travel to Chicago, one of the strike force cities. The five key regions are: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area and Sacramento Region, and Washington, D.C. Led by U.S. attorneys in each of the areas, the prosecutors will work with ATF and state and local law enforcement to identify patterns, leads and possible suspects in violent gun crimes.