Ottawa police are blaming what they call a "cultural shift" among criminals for the rising number of shootings in the city, as well as an increasing number of stolen guns in circulation.

For the second year in a row, Ottawa has broken the previous year's record — and set a new one — for the number of shootings.

On Sunday the city recorded its 69th shooting of 2017, surpassing the previous high of 68 in 2016.

Insp. Mark Patterson, head of the Ottawa police guns and gangs unit, told CBC that criminals are becoming more brazen in the way they carry and use firearms.

"As these criminals evolve, they've gone from combating one on one, to carrying knives, and now to carrying firearms," he said.

"It comes back to the mentality that they want to be threatening," he explained, adding that other cities in Canada are experiencing a similar dynamic.

Guns taken from homes

While that trend is neither new nor confined to Ottawa, Patterson suspects a new trend is happening with how gangs are acquiring guns.

In the past the majority of guns used for illegal activity have come from the United States — around 60 per cent, according to Chief Charles Bordeleau.

But Patterson believes more criminals are acquiring firearms in residential break-ins.

At least two of the two dozen guns seized during the Project Sabotage sweep announced last Thursday were acquired that way Patterson said.

The rest are being analyzed to determine where they came from.

Ottawa police seized two dozen firearms during Project Sabotage last Thursday. (Andrew Foote/CBC)

"What I would venture to say for this project, we're going to see a different trend where they are being stolen from break and enters," he said.

Patterson said this puts a new emphasis on ensuring gun owners are storing their firearms properly.

Project Sabotage involved a six month investigation led by Ottawa Police which ended Thursday, resulting in 13 people being arrested and 24 guns seized.