In the weeks leading up to the tragic Uvalde, Texas, school shooting in 2022, a gunman purchased 2,115 rounds of ammunition for his AR-15-style rifle. Every single round came from the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, a US Army-owned facility located just outside Kansas City, Missouri. Later that same year, another shooter walked into a St. Louis high school carrying over 400 rounds from the same facility, killing a student and a teacher. These bullets, designed for battlefield use, were legally obtained and easily accessible through the civilian market.

The use of Lake City ammunition in crimes is not an isolated phenomenon. New data obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the New York Times, through public records requests to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), reveals that the facility’s products have become a ubiquitous presence in criminal investigations involving 5.56-millimeter and .223-caliber cartridges – the most commonly used ammunition for AR-15-style rifles.

Between 2017 and 2024, law enforcement agencies conducting criminal investigations reported spent Lake City casings to the ATF at more than twice the rate of any other manufacturer of 5.56 and .223 cartridges. The records, compiled from over 7,400 law enforcement agencies across the United States, cover a wide spectrum of crimes ranging from burglaries to homicides. The analysis provides an unprecedented look into Lake City’s outsized role in the commercial ammunition market, revealing how military-grade cartridges have become a standard feature in civilian crimes.

The AR-15, known to many as “America’s rifle,” mirrors the firepower of an American infantry soldier and has been featured in numerous mass shootings across the country. Yet while the weapon itself has received substantial attention, relatively little has been known about the production sources of its ammunition. Lake City, which began commercial production of its cartridges in earnest in the late 2000s, has played a major role in supplying the market.

Built during World War II to supply the US military, Lake City is operated by a private contractor under Army oversight. It is the largest manufacturer of rifle ammunition for the US armed forces, producing rounds not only for domestic troops but also for international allies and law enforcement agencies. However, the facility has also pumped billions of rounds into the US civilian market, where they are sold under various brand names through major retailers, gun shops, and online stores.

Army officials explain that commercial sales are not vetted or approved by the Department of Defense. In a 2024 letter to Congress, senior Army representatives stated that the agency has not conducted any investigations into the use of its ammunition in violent crime. The lack of transparency has been criticized by families affected by shootings. Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was killed in Uvalde, described the absence of oversight as “disturbing.” She questioned why data on production and commercial sales is not publicly available, raising concerns about whether government subsidies are indirectly linked to domestic bloodshed.

The revelations have drawn bipartisan attention and public scrutiny. Senator Elizabeth Warren called the findings “horrifying,” arguing that taxpayers should not be subsidizing gun violence. In 2024, Warren and a group of Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation to prohibit Department of Defense contractors and plants from selling military-grade ammunition to civilians. The bill, however, never reached the House floor for a vote.

Opposition to curbing commercial production at Lake City has been vocal, particularly from Republican lawmakers and state attorneys general. They argue that restricting civilian access to Lake City ammunition would not only impact the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens but also threaten military readiness. Conservative officials emphasize that ammunition manufacturers should not be held responsible for crimes committed with their products, framing the debate around constitutional rights and public safety.

Lake City’s commercial production is tied to its primary mission: maintaining a ready supply of ammunition for the US military. Following ammunition shortfalls during the early years of the War on Terror, Army officials mandated that the facility maintain a production capacity of over 1.6 billion rounds annually. To sustain this capacity during periods of low military demand, the contractor operating Lake City was authorized to use excess capacity for commercial sales. This arrangement was intended to keep the plant’s machinery and workforce active while cutting costs on military purchases by an estimated $25 million to $35 million annually.

The commercial production strategy has proven lucrative for contractors operating the plant. Since 2020, Olin Winchester has operated Lake City, taking over from Northrop Grumman after winning an $8 billion manufacturing contract. Olin reported a 130% surge in income from the facility in 2021, driven by higher prices and the volume of ammunition produced for civilian markets. Over two decades, the Army has invested more than $860 million into Lake City for improvements and maintenance, underscoring the facility’s strategic and economic significance.

The link between Lake City ammunition and crime is documented through the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN allows law enforcement agencies to track spent casings and connect firearms to multiple criminal acts. From 2017 to 2024, Lake City rounds represented approximately 29% of all 5.56 and .223 casings entered into NIBIN, more than twice the rate of the next most common manufacturer, South Korea’s Poongsan Corporation, at 13%.

While the data is substantial, it likely underestimates the true scale of criminal use. Law enforcement agencies typically submit only one casing per firearm to NIBIN, even when multiple rounds are recovered, meaning that each reported casing could represent tens or hundreds of rounds actually fired. Additionally, not all agencies participate in NIBIN, and some commercial Lake City rounds lack the plant’s distinctive markings, further complicating accurate accounting.

The Uvalde shooter’s acquisition of ammunition illustrates the accessibility of Lake City products. The assailant purchased 375 rounds at a local store and another 1,740 rounds online. Both batches were traced to Lake City, highlighting the ease with which military-grade cartridges enter civilian hands. This accessibility is fueled by the growing popularity of AR-15-style rifles and the facility’s commercial output. Lake City rounds are sold in boxes of 20 or cases of 1,000, making bulk purchases simple and affordable for civilian buyers, whether lawful or criminal.

The plant produces a variety of cartridges, including those for AK-47s and .50-caliber rifles. Yet the bulk of its production remains the 5.56 and .223 rounds, the same ammunition that has repeatedly appeared in mass shootings and other violent crimes across the United States. While law-abiding target shooters, hunters, and firearm enthusiasts make up the majority of consumers, the sheer volume of rounds flooding the civilian market also enables criminal access.

Supporters of Lake City’s commercial production argue that the plant is essential for maintaining military readiness and providing affordable ammunition to civilians. Critics, however, contend that the US government is effectively subsidizing a facility whose products are disproportionately linked to violent crime. They point to the millions of rounds sold commercially each year, which far exceed military demand. In 2021, for example, the Army purchased 434.3 million rounds, yet total production exceeded one billion.

The tension between military efficiency and public safety has prompted calls for independent investigations. Following a 2023 New York Times report, a coalition of 19 state attorneys general urged the White House to examine Lake City’s contracting practices, warning that taxpayer dollars should not fund ammunition linked to crime. Republican attorneys general, in contrast, emphasized Second Amendment protections and the need to maintain a steady supply of ammunition for lawful use.

The Lake City Army Ammunition Plant embodies a paradox at the heart of America’s gun debate. Tasked with producing military-grade ammunition to safeguard national security, the facility has also become a central player in the civilian firearms market, supplying cartridges that are used in some of the nation’s deadliest crimes. While the government benefits from cost savings and operational readiness, families like the Matas-Rubios endure the consequences of widespread commercial availability.

As debates over gun rights, military funding, and public safety continue, Lake City represents a critical, yet underexamined, nexus of policy, commerce, and tragedy. The evidence underscores the urgent need for transparency and accountability in a system where taxpayer-funded production lines inadvertently contribute to domestic violence, raising difficult questions about the balance between national defense and civilian safety.

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