The majority of guns illegally sold on the street come from an unlikely place: the law-abiding, well-meaning gun owner looking for self-protection — but who fails to secure their investment or know enough about their weapon to provide law enforcement with essential details should it be stolen.

A wave of violence such as the one gripping Manatee County, in the midst of a record number of homicides this year, can fuel a rush to purchase guns, experts say. And that puts communities in a vicious cycle: