With associates positioned within the United States military, gang members have taken advantage of opportunities to acquire military-grade weapons, such as assault rifles, grenades, and body armor, according to a recent report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Gang Intelligence Center.
The FBI recently reported that “gang members are getting their hands on a variety of military grade weapons including rifles, grenades, artillery rounds and even body armor,” notes the Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press. Military members loyal to gangs assist in these efforts, sometimes stealing ammunition. “It’s easy to say you fired 10 rounds when you only actually fired eight or six,” one former Marine and ex-gang member told the Daily Press. He also said that “It’s a lot harder to get firearms and rifles off a base but artillery rounds aren’t that difficult.”
