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Where'd They Get Their Guns?

An Analysis of the Firearms Used in High-Profile Shootings, 1963 to 2001

Date: April 24, 2000

Location: National Zoo, Washington, DC

Alleged Shooter: Antoine Jones

People Killed: None

People Injured: Seven

Firearm(s): 9mm pistol


Circumstances

As a group of teenagers was leaving the National Zoo's annual African-American Family Celebration a fight broke out and Antoine Jones fired a 9mm pistol at another group of teens, wounding seven, including five teens ranging in age from 12 to 16. Jones was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the opportunity for parole plus five years probation.


How Firearm(s) Acquired

The pistol was never recovered, but police did collect 9mm shell casings at the scene and ammunition at the home of Jones' grandparents. It is unclear how Jones acquired the firearm, but due to his age and Washington's strict gun laws, it was most likely obtained illegally.

 
  1. John Drake, "Teen-Ager Indicted in Zoo Shootings," Washington Times, 10 August 2000, sec. C, p. 1.
  2. Ellen Gammerman and Tom Bowman, "6 Children Shot at Zoo in Capital; Boy, 11, Suffers Life-Threatening Wound to Head," Baltimore Sun, 25 April 2000, sec. A, p. 1.
  3. Arlo Wagner, "Zoo Gunman Gets 25 Years in Prison," Washington Times, 17 March 2001, sec. A, p. 1.

 

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 All contents � 2001 Violence Policy Center

 


The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational foundation that conducts research on violence in America and works to develop violence-reduction policies and proposals. The Center examines the role of firearms in America, conducts research on firearms violence, and explores new ways to decrease firearm-related death and injury.