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Oakland, California - Attorney General Rob Bonta, joined by 19 other state attorneys general, requested a federal probe into the public sale of military-grade ammunition from Missouri's Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. The plant, subsidized with over $860 million by the U.S. Department of Defense, has reportedly sold billions of rounds to civilians, which have been used in numerous recent mass shootings.

Key Points

• Federally owned, the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, based in Independence, Missouri, is intended to ensure readiness for large-scale military production. Recent reports indicate that ammunition from this plant has been used in numerous mass shootings, including:
• • The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL.
  • The Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, PA.
  • The shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.
  • The supermarket massacre in Buffalo, NY.
• The letter highlights the use of this ammunition in the Buffalo massacre, noting its military nature and the shooter's preference for its "barrier penetration" capabilities.
• Federal courts have identified 5.56-millimeter rounds, used in these shootings, as military-grade and suitable primarily for military-issued rifles like the M-16.
• The coalition stresses the need for military preparedness but insists that military-grade ammunition must not be available to civilians or funded by taxpayers. They urge the White House to probe the contracting processes that have led to these civilian sales and to ensure future contracts ban the sale of military arms and ammunition to the public.
• Attorney General Bonta is joined by attorneys general from Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia in this initiative.