The Rise of Ghost Guns

Gun violence isn’t a new subject in the news. However, it seems that as the years pass, the developments of gun violence are becoming increasingly more dangerous and shocking. A recent development in this subject is “Ghost Guns.” Ghost guns are plastic guns that use real bullets and can be bought from stores and put together at home. Because of the circumstances of their build, these guns don’t have serial numbers, making them almost entirely untraceable. Some of these ghost guns have even been 3D printed, allowing almost anyone to have access to an invisible, unknown weapon. Law enforcement agencies have already seen a rise in gun violence, and these ghost guns have been part of it. The ATF reports having over 20,000 of these ghost guns reported to them.
Because of the accessibility of these guns, the opportunity for misuse is significantly increased. As gun violence rises across the country, an unknown gun gives way to many awful and dangerous possibilities. President Biden recently announced new regulations regarding these guns. These new regulations will require anyone purchasing a gun kit to go through an extensive background check, as well as require certain parts of the guns to be labeled with serial numbers, providing a way of tracing the guns back to people. “These guns are the weapons of choice for many criminals,” says Biden. “We’re going to do everything we can to deprive them of that choice.” Although these regulations won’t end gun violence or abolish all of these ghost guns, the hope is that these regulations will drastically decrease the availability of these guns and put somewhat of an end to these invisible guns. Isabella Nazario (12) says, ”I think there should be some type of steps or precautions, like taking lessons on how to use a gun and being tested on it, having a doctor approve you are mentally ok enough to use one, and not being a criminal.”

On April 11, 2022, a gunman fired 33 rounds in a New York subway, injuring over 20 people. This is just one example of rising gun violence in America. The gunman has been identified in part thanks to a serial number found on the gun he left behind, which allowed the police to track him down. This shows that these serial numbers, which ghost guns do not have, are vitally important to helping law enforcement. Although this serial number can’t reverse what happened, it ensures that the shooter will not be able to get away with this sort of crime again.
Amid the rise of gun violence this country faces, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has recently signed a bill allowing people to carry handguns without a license or background check. He also signed another bill that will allow concealed weapons permit holders from other states to carry legally in Georgia as well. This “Constitutional Carry Act” is said by Kemp to be a public safety measure since it allows people to carry to defend themselves. But many disagree and believe that the possible consequences of this permitless carry outweigh the potential benefits. One of the biggest arguments against this permitless carry is the removal of a background check, essentially allowing anyone, even with a violent past, the ability to carry a hidden weapon on them at all times. Shreya Sudakar (12) says, “…Regardless of what type of gun it is, I believe there should be some sort of background check that makes the process of obtaining a gun more difficult.” It’s not certain what the future hols for these ghost guns and these new gun regulations, but it seems that more states may be moving forward toward more lenient carry laws.