New York: A ghost gun, allegedly recovered from Luigi Mangione, the suspect arrested in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has raised serious concerns about the growing threat of untraceable firearms. The weapon, a semi-automatic pistol, was reportedly found in Mangione’s backpack and is believed to have been assembled at home. Authorities have said the gun was likely a ‘ghost gun,’ a type of firearm that can be made without the need for a manufacturer’s license.
What Are Ghost Guns?
A ‘ghost gun’ is a firearm that can be built by anyone at home, using parts that are not regulated or serialized. Unlike regular guns, which must be stamped with serial numbers and undergo background checks before they are sold, ghost guns are unmarked and often assembled from kits or 3D-printed parts. This lack of identification makes them almost impossible to trace. Ghost guns can be easily put together in less than an hour, and with the right tools and instructions, even someone with no prior knowledge of firearms can assemble a fully functional weapon. These untraceable guns have sparked outrage because they allow dangerous individuals—who may be prohibited from owning guns due to criminal records or mental health issues—to acquire weapons with no questions asked.
In the case of Luigi Mangione, police discovered a pistol with a 3D-printed receiver and a metal slide, along with a silencer. This weapon, capable of firing 9mm rounds, was similar to the type of firearm used in the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson in New York. The fact that such a dangerous weapon could be made at home, without any regulation, highlights the growing problem of ghost guns in the US.
The Impact of Ghost Guns on Gun Violence
Ghost guns have become a significant safety concern in the United States because they are unregulated. Until August 2023, anyone with access to the internet could legally purchase the parts required to assemble a ghost gun. These parts were not classified as firearms, so there were no background checks involved. As a result, people who were legally prohibited from owning guns—such as criminals or those with a history of mental illness—could easily buy the parts and build a gun at home. This loophole in gun laws has been a major source of concern for gun control advocates.
The weapon found in Mangione’s possession fits the description of a typical ghost gun. The firearm in question had no serial number, making it untraceable, and it was fully functional, capable of firing live ammunition. The fact that such weapons are so easily made and so difficult to track has made ghost guns a growing problem in gun violence across the country.
Recent High-Profile Killings Linked to Ghost Guns
Ghost guns have been linked to several deadly incidents in the US. In 2022, a man in Pennsylvania used a homemade 9mm ghost gun to murder two people. In 2019, a teenager shot five classmates at Saugus High School in California using a ghost gun, before fatally shooting himself. In Dayton, Ohio, in the same year, a shooter used a ghost gun to murder nine people in just 35 seconds at a bar. The trend of ghost guns being used in deadly incidents has raised alarm bells among law enforcement and public safety officials.
Notably, in 2017, a man used a homemade AR-15-style rifle to kill his wife and then went on a shooting spree across several locations, including an elementary school, killing five people. This case highlighted the ease with which someone can obtain parts and assemble a gun without any legal oversight. Similarly, in 2013, a shooter in Santa Monica, California, used a homemade AR-15 to kill five people after he failed a background check and chose to build the gun himself instead.
What is Being Done About Ghost Guns?
The Biden administration has taken steps to regulate ghost guns, treating them in the same way as commercially available firearms. New laws now require manufacturers of ghost gun kits to include serial numbers on their products and perform background checks on buyers. In October 2023, the US Supreme Court indicated it might uphold these regulations, despite challenges from gun rights groups who argue that such laws overstep existing gun rights protections.
The goal of these regulations is to make it harder for criminals and people prohibited from owning guns to obtain and use ghost guns. However, gun rights groups have argued that such regulations infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens to own firearms. This ongoing legal battle has brought the issue of ghost guns into the spotlight once again.
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