NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety, the country’s largest gun violence prevention organization, today released the following statement in response to reports that the weapon the shooter who shot and killed two people and injured three others at Saugus High School used was a self-manufactured gun, or “ghost gun.” To coordinate an interview with Nick Suplina, don’t hesitate to reach out.
“‘Ghost guns’ are unserialized, untraceable firearms that can be easily put together from parts acquired without a background check, and they undermine all of our gun safety laws,” said Nick Suplina, managing director for law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety. “The bottom line is that ghost guns are incredibly dangerous and there is no reason why the parts are available at the click of a button.”
The term “ghost gun” historically referred to untraceable firearms built using unfinished firearm receivers, which are not serialized and, unlike finished firearms and receivers, can be purchased without a background check. By building their own guns using unfinished receivers and parts and kits that are widely available online, prohibited purchasers and gun traffickers can evade state and federal law and acquire fully functional firearms that cannot be traced by law enforcement.
In recent years, 3D-printing technology has advanced rapidly, creating a new and inexpensive way for people with dangerous histories to build ghost guns they cannot legally purchase or possess, including all-plastic guns that can be carried through metal detectors.
