The Times writes about “communal guns” in New York.

Ms. Crute’s nickname was Sweetz because she was quite friendly, but that night, Sept. 30, 2010, she gave as good as she got for the last minutes of her 26-year-long life.

“She says, ‘I might know these guys,’ ” said Lt. James Ruane of the 44th Precinct detective squad. “She gets into a bit of an argument with them when she figures out she doesn’t know these guys. Somebody said, ‘Get the Waka Flocka.’ ”

Two men broke off, crossed East 161st Street, entered the lobby of an apartment building, approached the bank of 207 mailboxes and opened one.

Waka Flocka is the name of a rapper. But to these men, the phrase described something else.

The community gun.

Hidden and shared by a small group of people who use them when needed, and are always sure to return them, such guns appear to be rising in number in New York, according to the police. It is unclear why. The economy? Times are tough — not everyone can afford a gun. “The gangs are younger, and their resources are less,” said Ed Talty, an assistant district attorney in the Bronx.

Also, these guns are responsible for LOTS of crimes:

Or perhaps it’s not that there are more communal guns, but rather, that they are easier to identify through forensic science.

“We get a lot more ballistic matches than we ever have before,” Lieutenant Ruane said. “It’s amazing. You go, how the hell did that match up to that shooting? It’s a different command, a different borough, Brooklyn or something.”