That armor-piercing capability had gun control advocates pushing to ban the weapon more than a decade ago. While the FN Five-seveN is legal in California, its armor-piercing rounds are not for civilian purchase.
Over the last year, authorities have found evidence tying the 5.7 mm pistol to at least 14 street shootings from Watsonville to Antioch, including six in Oakland between April and June.
Authorities say they also recovered evidence that an FN Five-seveN was used in the slaying in September of local rapper Lamonta “Tay Way” Butcher in Richmond. Investigators believe the hip hop artist was essentially hunted down after posting on social media at a city street corner.