PA Cracks Down on Crime Guns with Record Traces

A 2-year-old Philadelphia girl, Nikolette Rivera, was shot dead in a hail of gunfire meant for someone else — a tragedy that exposed how easily illegal guns flow across state lines. Now, Pennsylvania’s top law enforcement officials are using a powerful new tool to track the deadly weapons: the Track+Trace initiative, which has led to an 824% surge in gun trace reports in just one year.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro launched Track+Trace in July 2019 to combat rampant gun trafficking by forcing data transparency between police departments and firearms dealers. The program requires law enforcement to log every recovered crime gun and share that data in real time. Since then, the number of agencies participating has jumped from 70 to 117 — a 68% increase — giving investigators faster access to critical leads.

One of the program’s key victories came earlier this year when Pennsylvania and New Jersey authorities linked a firearm used in Nikolette’s killing to an interstate trafficking ring. The tracing data revealed the gun’s path from a legal buyer to the streets of Philadelphia — a path now under federal investigation.

Track+Trace also targets the paper trail — or lack thereof — at gun shops. By pushing dealers to adopt electronic Records of Sale (eROS), the AG’s office has cut the backlog of unprocessed sales records by nine months. Use of eROS has surged 600% since the program began, making it harder for straw purchasers to exploit outdated paper systems.

“Tracing firearms is an essential part of our ATF mission,” said acting Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “We’re seeing proactive use of eTrace here — a model other states should follow.” The system pairs with NIBIN, the national ballistics network, to link shootings and identify repeat offenders before more blood is spilled.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele called the initiative a game-changer: “It allows intelligence-driven policing to target trafficking at every level.” For Pennsylvania, where illegal guns fuel urban violence, Track+Trace isn’t just about solving crimes — it’s about stopping the next bullet before it’s fired.

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