Ghost guns are a hugely increasing concern in relation to the topic at hand but have recently been brought into light as a result of a few high-profile incidents such as the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s Brian Thompson. The guns are assembled without trace many times self-assembled or made from kits in homes, and authorities say they are being constructed all over the nation.
Definition and characteristics of ghost guns
Basically speaking, ghost guns are those without serial numbers, mostly assembled rather than manufactured by licensed companies. A person can make them with components he ordered online or even from kits containing everything he may want in the final product. What is more, technology today has gone further, and such firearms can even be made with the help of 3D printing. Peculiar characteristics of ghost guns include the following :
- Unregistered status: Unlike traditional firearms, ghost guns are not required to be registered.
- Lack of serial numbers: Owing to the dearth of serial numbers on ghost guns, law enforcers are practically not able to retrieve information on the origin of those guns.
- Easy assembly: Most of the ghost guns can be assembled in less than one hour, with a few tools and without requiring any particular expertise.
- Availability: Components can easily be purchased online, with often no questions regarding background or intent asked from a buyer.
Popularity and usage on the increase
The ghost gun has acquired quite some reputation as one of the Jekyll and Hyde firearms used by criminals because their source cannot be traced. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, law enforcement recovered an estimated 20,000 suspected ghost guns during criminal investigations in 2022 alone, a tenfold increase since 2016. Several factors are attributed to this alarming trend:
- Accessibility: Today, quite literally with a few clicks online, one can purchase a kit or the parts to make a firearm without any background checks.
- Criminal use: Ghost guns have become associated with violent crimes, including mass shootings and homicides. A number have been used in high-profile cases, bringing to light their increasing usage in gun violence across the nation.
- Attraction to prohibited people: Ghost guns have become very attractive to people who should not legally have a gun. This would include felons or those with mental incapacity.
Legal landscape of ghost guns
The latter legal status of ghost guns dramatically changed in recent times. In 2022, the Biden administration proposed new rules that would treat ghost gun components as firearms under federal law. That requires sellers to conduct background checks and add serial numbers on kits. How those rules are enforced can vary widely across states.
- State actions taken: Fifteen states have passed legislation requiring serialization of ghost gun parts and background checks of the buyers. Other states such as California and New York have other prohibitions against undetectable firearms.
- Ongoing legal challenges: Supporters of gun rights say the rules run afoul of second amendment rights and are suing in federal court to block their implementation.
But most of those components are still legally available, without any oversight to purchase, and it’s still relatively easy for people to manufacture what many describe as ghost guns.
Ghost guns and their implications in violent crimes
But the impacts of ghost guns extend beyond those targeted incidents to form part of a greater challenge in trying to address gun violence in America. Because they cannot be traced, every recovery of ghost guns at a crime scene means that finding out where they came from is virtually impossible. That complicates any investigation, further hindering efforts to try and prevent incidents like these from happening in the first place.
For instance, in the killing of Brian Thompson, it was highly publicized that the shooter allegedly used a ghost gun, described as semi-automatic, capable of shooting 9mm rounds-matching the profile of many ghost guns manufactured today. Therefore, these tragedies deserve far greater attention for broad regulations with regard to these firearms.
Read more: What is known about the gunman who shot dead Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare in Manhattan
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