I wonder how widespread the flouting of New York City's gun laws are?

Finish this sentence for me. When guns are outlawed...

...only the government will have guns.

This hits the papers every few years. Often it is some poor slob in a bad (very bad)neighborhood who picks up a gun just for this eventuality and gets nailed. Bernie Goetz was one who made the headlines big time some years back. They also usually get sued by the "victims" family

Not as good as the classic a year ago in California. Two armed hoods force two employees into a store room. One goes back to the store to steal stuff, the other starts to duct-tape the victims. One vic takes advantage of his distraction, disarms the dude, then leaves the stockroom and trades shots with the other. Alas, our hero was on probation, and having had "possession of a firearm" is taken into custody in preparation for being sent back to prison for violating parole. Just paperwork, after all, no brains required.

A newspaper got wind of it, and their story embarassed the DA into releasing the man: not really his business, if not for the newspaper he would never have heard of it...