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© Shutterstock
0 / 27 Fotos
What is a ghost gun?
- If you have been following the news in the United States, you may have heard people using the term ‘ghost gun,’ and wondering what it means.
© Getty Images
1 / 27 Fotos
Useful definition
- According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a ghost gun is a firearm that has been assembled by someone other than a licensed manufacturer.
© Getty Images
2 / 27 Fotos
No serial number
- Ghost guns are very difficult to track, because they are generally made without a serial number. It is for this reason that they are popular among criminals.
© Shutterstock
3 / 27 Fotos
Not necessarily illegal
- Although it may sound illegal to build your own firearm, in fact not all ghost guns are illegal, and not all firearms are required to have a serial number.
© Shutterstock
4 / 27 Fotos
Statistics
- According to CBS, between 2016 and 2021 there were more than 45,000 ghost guns reported to the ATF as having been recovered by police from potential crime scenes.
© Shutterstock
5 / 27 Fotos
How they are made
- In terms of how they are made, people looking to build a ghost gun generally have two options: build one using a 3D printer or assemble one from a kit.
© Shutterstock
6 / 27 Fotos
Cost
- Ghost guns are relatively cheap: it is possible to produce one of these weapons for under US$200, although according to officials the average price is around US$500.
© Shutterstock
7 / 27 Fotos
Available online
- They are also easily accessible. Kits are available online for all sorts of weapons, and until August 2023, anyone could purchase one without a background check.
© Shutterstock
8 / 27 Fotos
Example
- Indeed, in 2018, a CBS reporter was able to purchase a gun similar to a Glock 9mm without having to provide a background check or submit to any waiting period.
© Getty Images
9 / 27 Fotos
Easy to build
- Ghost guns also appear relatively simple to build. There are online tutorials explaining how to fit the parts of a fully functioning firearm together in under an hour.
© Getty Images
10 / 27 Fotos
Firearms for personal use
- If you are reading this and thinking that ghost guns must be illegal, think again. In general, according to the ATF, it is legal to make a firearm for personal use without a license.
© Shutterstock
11 / 27 Fotos
Caveat
- However, as per the Gun Control Act, anyone who builds their own firearm using a 3D printer or otherwise must ensure that the weapon is ‘detectable.’
© Shutterstock
12 / 27 Fotos
Illegal in practice
- This means that there are a lot of ghost guns out there that are, in fact, illegal, despite the fact that in general people are allowed to build them.
© Shutterstock
13 / 27 Fotos
State-specific laws
- It is also important to note that some states, including New York, where the recent high-profile ghost gun case happened, have their own additional laws related to these weapons.
© Shutterstock
14 / 27 Fotos
Pressing concern
- In terms of the scale of the issue, experts in the United States have called ghost guns the country’s "fastest-growing gun safety problem."
© Shutterstock
15 / 27 Fotos
Increasingly common
- Indeed, it is becoming increasingly common for law enforcement to discover that a ghost gun has been used in a high-profile shooting.
© Shutterstock
16 / 27 Fotos
Main issue
- According to the authorities, the biggest problem with ghost guns is the fact that they do not include a serial number on their frames.
© Shutterstock
17 / 27 Fotos
Impossible to track
- Without this, it is virtually impossible for law enforcement to track dealers who may be selling them illegally, either to minors or to someone without a license.
© Shutterstock
18 / 27 Fotos
The context
- Of course, it is worth remembering that ghost guns are just one factor in the wider issue that is gun control in the United States.
© Shutterstock
19 / 27 Fotos
CDC statistics
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 48,000 people were killed by firearms generally in the US in 2022.
© Shutterstock
20 / 27 Fotos
Impact of recent events
- The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson with what appeared to be a ghost gun has brought the topic of ghost gun regulation to the forefront.
© Getty Images
21 / 27 Fotos
Attempts at regulation
- During the Biden administration, the government has tried to regulate ghost guns by saying they should be treated in the same way as commercially available firearms.
© Getty Images
22 / 27 Fotos
Recent changes to the law
- Indeed, manufacturers of ghost gun kits must now include serial numbers on their products, and sellers are required to perform background checks on their purchasers.
© Shutterstock
23 / 27 Fotos
Supreme Court position
- In October 2024, the Supreme Court indicated that it would be willing to uphold the law, which has been challenged by gun rights groups.
© Getty Images
24 / 27 Fotos
Changing tack
- If it makes a ruling that withholds the ATF's new regulation, this would mark a departure from the Supreme Court’s previous position, which was to be largely skeptical of gun regulations.
© Shutterstock
25 / 27 Fotos
Looking ahead
- On the topic of firearms in general, US President-elect Donald Trump is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and has referred to himself as the National Rifle Association’s "best friend." Sources: (CBS) (BBC) See also: Gun violence is the most common cause of death for children in the US
© Getty Images
26 / 27 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 27 Fotos
What is a ghost gun?
- If you have been following the news in the United States, you may have heard people using the term ‘ghost gun,’ and wondering what it means.
© Getty Images
1 / 27 Fotos
Useful definition
- According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a ghost gun is a firearm that has been assembled by someone other than a licensed manufacturer.
© Getty Images
2 / 27 Fotos
No serial number
- Ghost guns are very difficult to track, because they are generally made without a serial number. It is for this reason that they are popular among criminals.
© Shutterstock
3 / 27 Fotos
Not necessarily illegal
- Although it may sound illegal to build your own firearm, in fact not all ghost guns are illegal, and not all firearms are required to have a serial number.
© Shutterstock
4 / 27 Fotos
Statistics
- According to CBS, between 2016 and 2021 there were more than 45,000 ghost guns reported to the ATF as having been recovered by police from potential crime scenes.
© Shutterstock
5 / 27 Fotos
How they are made
- In terms of how they are made, people looking to build a ghost gun generally have two options: build one using a 3D printer or assemble one from a kit.
© Shutterstock
6 / 27 Fotos
Cost
- Ghost guns are relatively cheap: it is possible to produce one of these weapons for under US$200, although according to officials the average price is around US$500.
© Shutterstock
7 / 27 Fotos
Available online
- They are also easily accessible. Kits are available online for all sorts of weapons, and until August 2023, anyone could purchase one without a background check.
© Shutterstock
8 / 27 Fotos
Example
- Indeed, in 2018, a CBS reporter was able to purchase a gun similar to a Glock 9mm without having to provide a background check or submit to any waiting period.
© Getty Images
9 / 27 Fotos
Easy to build
- Ghost guns also appear relatively simple to build. There are online tutorials explaining how to fit the parts of a fully functioning firearm together in under an hour.
© Getty Images
10 / 27 Fotos
Firearms for personal use
- If you are reading this and thinking that ghost guns must be illegal, think again. In general, according to the ATF, it is legal to make a firearm for personal use without a license.
© Shutterstock
11 / 27 Fotos
Caveat
- However, as per the Gun Control Act, anyone who builds their own firearm using a 3D printer or otherwise must ensure that the weapon is ‘detectable.’
© Shutterstock
12 / 27 Fotos
Illegal in practice
- This means that there are a lot of ghost guns out there that are, in fact, illegal, despite the fact that in general people are allowed to build them.
© Shutterstock
13 / 27 Fotos
State-specific laws
- It is also important to note that some states, including New York, where the recent high-profile ghost gun case happened, have their own additional laws related to these weapons.
© Shutterstock
14 / 27 Fotos
Pressing concern
- In terms of the scale of the issue, experts in the United States have called ghost guns the country’s "fastest-growing gun safety problem."
© Shutterstock
15 / 27 Fotos
Increasingly common
- Indeed, it is becoming increasingly common for law enforcement to discover that a ghost gun has been used in a high-profile shooting.
© Shutterstock
16 / 27 Fotos
Main issue
- According to the authorities, the biggest problem with ghost guns is the fact that they do not include a serial number on their frames.
© Shutterstock
17 / 27 Fotos
Impossible to track
- Without this, it is virtually impossible for law enforcement to track dealers who may be selling them illegally, either to minors or to someone without a license.
© Shutterstock
18 / 27 Fotos
The context
- Of course, it is worth remembering that ghost guns are just one factor in the wider issue that is gun control in the United States.
© Shutterstock
19 / 27 Fotos
CDC statistics
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 48,000 people were killed by firearms generally in the US in 2022.
© Shutterstock
20 / 27 Fotos
Impact of recent events
- The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson with what appeared to be a ghost gun has brought the topic of ghost gun regulation to the forefront.
© Getty Images
21 / 27 Fotos
Attempts at regulation
- During the Biden administration, the government has tried to regulate ghost guns by saying they should be treated in the same way as commercially available firearms.
© Getty Images
22 / 27 Fotos
Recent changes to the law
- Indeed, manufacturers of ghost gun kits must now include serial numbers on their products, and sellers are required to perform background checks on their purchasers.
© Shutterstock
23 / 27 Fotos
Supreme Court position
- In October 2024, the Supreme Court indicated that it would be willing to uphold the law, which has been challenged by gun rights groups.
© Getty Images
24 / 27 Fotos
Changing tack
- If it makes a ruling that withholds the ATF's new regulation, this would mark a departure from the Supreme Court’s previous position, which was to be largely skeptical of gun regulations.
© Shutterstock
25 / 27 Fotos
Looking ahead
- On the topic of firearms in general, US President-elect Donald Trump is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and has referred to himself as the National Rifle Association’s "best friend." Sources: (CBS) (BBC) See also: Gun violence is the most common cause of death for children in the US
© Getty Images
26 / 27 Fotos
The untraceable weapons known as ghost guns
An increasingly pressing issue in the US
© Shutterstock
In December 2024 the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was shot dead as he walked to a business meeting in New York. His killer was dressed in a hooded jacket and was wielding what law enforcement believes to have been a ghost gun.
Ghost guns are best described as firearms that have been assembled by someone other than a licensed manufacturer. Generally built using a 3D printer or a kit bought online, they are becoming an increasingly pressing concern in the United States.
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