Luigi Mangione, suspected of being the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was arrested in the US state of Pennsylvania, this Monday (10), with a “ghost gun” allegedly manufactured with a 3D printer.
Police found the weapon during the arrest of the 26-year-old man, who was charged with murder by prosecutors in New York,
“Ghost guns” are guns purchased as incomplete frames and receivers, which are the two main components of a firearm. These kits can be assembled with additional parts that can be purchased separately.
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The use of this type of weaponry, whether produced at home or purchased online as a kit, has grown in the last decade, in part due to the absence of serial numbers, which makes it difficult for authorities to track.
The term “ghost gun” reflects its invisibility to law enforcement, since prior to 2022, these kits could be sold without serial numbers or registration, and buyers did not need to meet minimum age requirements or undergo a background check.
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The use of 3D printers to manufacture fully functional weapons, parts, and accessories began to gain prominence in the early 2010s, especially after Cody Wilson, an advocate for 3D-printed weapons, founded a company that offers the digital blueprints necessary for 3D printing. weapons manufacturing.
“Ghost guns” have their origins in a hobby among gun enthusiasts, with do-it-yourself gun kits appearing in the 1990s. However, since the early 2010s, their use has become increasingly common. in mass shootings and murders in the United States.
In 2022, the US government confiscated 25,785 “ghost guns,” compared to 1,629 in 2017.
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While buying and building a “ghost gun” is federally legal in the US, it has become more regulated under the Biden administration. In 2022, a government agency created a new rule that placed certain elements of “ghost gun” kits in the same legal category as traditional firearms, requiring companies selling kits to add serial numbers to incomplete frames and receivers and perform background checks on potential buyers.
However, this action was quickly challenged by kit manufacturers, Second Amendment activists, and lawyers who claimed that the government overstepped its authority.
