New York Attorney General Letitia James has initiated legal action against Bowman’s Gun Shop and its owner, Timothy Bowman, in St. Lawrence County for alleged violations of New York’s gun safety laws. The lawsuit claims that the shop stored firearms and ammunition unsafely and failed to secure the premises adequately, leading to burglaries where 58 guns and numerous ammunition boxes were stolen. Some of these weapons were reportedly trafficked to major cities like New York City and Philadelphia, as well as internationally to Barbados.
Attorney General James stated, “Irresponsible and inadequate security at gun shops is dangerous for all New Yorkers.” She emphasized the responsibility of gun shop owners to maintain high security standards to prevent thefts and trafficking.
Bowman’s Gun Shop has been operational since 2014 in Gouverneur, New York. In 2019, Mr. Bowman’s license to sell pistols was suspended following an investigation by the New York State Police (NYSP), which found he had received handguns illegally and falsified logbook entries.
Despite this suspension, Mr. Bowman allegedly continued poor security practices. In September 2019, burglars stole several firearms from his store through an unlocked door. A year later, another burglary occurred due to a partially open window left by Mr. Bowman when the store was closed.
The NYSP’s inspection in October 2023 revealed non-compliance with legal safety requirements for gun stores in New York. These include implementing a security plan, securing guns after hours, storing ammunition separately from firearms, maintaining video footage recordings for two years minimum, and keeping backups of paper records.
Attorney General James seeks a court order preventing Mr. Bowman from operating a gun store in New York unless he complies with state gun safety laws fully. Additionally, she aims to collect penalties and fees associated with these violations.
James has been recognized nationally for her efforts in promoting gun safety measures across the state. Her office has previously taken actions such as defending firearm accountability laws and penalizing companies like Walmart for shipping illegal toy guns into New York.
This case is being managed by Assistant Attorney General Deanna Nelson along with Special Counsels Molly Thomas-Jensen and Monica Hanna under Chief Deputy Attorney General Jill Faber’s leadership.
