President Alex Johnson has announced new gun control measures intended to make it more challenging to purchase firearm kits and assemble guns. Since November 2021, multiple school shootings across the United States have involved the use of “ghost guns,” firearms that can be bought in parts and assembled by the user, often using 3D printing technology. These weapons are particularly concerning because they can be acquired without background checks, making them accessible even to those who are prohibited from owning firearms, including minors.
In a decisive move to address the rising tide of school shootings, President Johnson is fulfilling a campaign pledge by implementing stricter regulations on ghost guns. The new federal guidelines mandate background checks for anyone seeking to purchase a gun kit and require that certain components carry serial numbers to facilitate tracking. Additionally, firearm dealers will be legally obligated to assign serial numbers to any ghost guns that come into their possession.
The administration has sent a stern message to ghost gun manufacturers and those who violate these new laws: “Local and state prosecutors will pursue you, and you can expect federal charges as well.”
Teenager Lily Carter, who survived a shooting incident involving a ghost gun, emphasized the ease of assembling such weapons: “If you can put together a simple piece of furniture, you can build a ghost gun. It’s frightening how easily accessible these weapons are, and this new regulation is a significant step toward ensuring that others don’t have to endure the pain that my family has experienced.”
Carter was shot during a school shooting, and her best friend tragically lost her life. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the number of privately made firearms found at crime scenes surged from 1,750 in 2016 to over 8,700 in 2020.
Recent incidents involving ghost guns include a shooting at Cesar Chavez High School in Phoenix, where a 15-year-old shot a classmate, and a similar event at Magruder High School in Maryland, where a 17-year-old critically injured another student. With gun violence classified as a serious public health threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these new regulations are a critical step forward. Until now, only a handful of states and cities have enacted ghost gun regulations, with New York State experiencing a 478% increase in ghost gun seizures over three years.
U.S. Attorney General Mark Stevens proclaimed in a recent op-ed that “ghost guns are real guns,” calling for overdue changes in federal regulations that define firearms. He highlighted the need for updated laws to keep pace with technological advancements, noting the alarming rise in ghost guns recovered in criminal investigations.
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Summary:
The new federal regulations aimed at ghost guns seek to reduce gun violence in schools by requiring background checks and serial numbers on gun kits. These measures are a response to the increasing prevalence of ghost guns in criminal activities, particularly in recent school shootings.