New Description: U.S. detectives traditionally trace crime weapons, relying on forensic expertise and a wealth of gun shop archives, manufacturing IDs, and criminal records databases. Within this framework, ballistics and firearm serial numbers play crucial roles. However, this tried-and-true method faces a growing challenge from a new tech-empowered phenomenon: 3D-printed guns and silencers, like the ones found with alleged killer Luigi Mangione, are becoming harder to trace.
The affordability and easy availability of 3D printers cast a growing shadow over law enforcement efforts. With printers obtainable for as low as $300 on platforms like Amazon, illicit weapon creation suddenly appears alluring to potential criminals.
Detailed reports from the Pennsylvania-based Altoona Police Department shed light on the “ghost gun” and silencer found in the businessman’s backpack, affirming that the weapons were 3D printed using commonplace metallic pieces. The Giffords Law Center’s legal director, David Pucino, wasn’t surprised by the newfound connection between the tech-driven weaponry and high-profile shootings.
Further giving context to the incident, prosecutors matched the 3D-printed weapon with the bullet casings found at Brian Thompson’s murder scene. Once considered novelties, these untraceable weapons have become increasingly prevalent, with arrest numbers tied to them rising exponentially.
Despite current regulations varying across states, President Biden has pledged to take on the “ghost gun” issues. In September, the President assigned a dedicated task force to tackle the growing concerns around these 3D-printed firearms.
Renowned professor Felipe Rodriguez from John Jay College of Criminal Justice highlights the severity of the situation, confident that 3D printing technology is likely to exacerbate the unregulated firearm problem.
Affordable and easy-to-create weapons like those found in Mangione’s possession could also extend to firearm conversion switches, grenades, and bombs with the right knowledge and resources. Some view this as a continuation of America’s storied history of homemade weaponry, however, there’s a growing concern about an imminent era of crime spurred by these undetectable firearms.
A noteworthy example showcases how a man prohibited from owning firearms, due to a past domestic dispute, managed to possess a 3D-printed AR-15, arguing that he manufactured instead of purchased it.
Despite regulations existing in only 15 states according to Everytown for Gun Safety, as well as the legal technicalities around homemade silencers, crime related to 3D printed weapons is escalating rapidly.
Addressing these escalating concerns, Pucino of the Giffords Law Center recommends a few potential solutions. One includes licensing 3D gun printing, another involves diligently tracking and regulating 3D printers used for firearm production. However, Pucino also fears that such measures might merely be stopgap solutions for a situation he likens to a Pandora’s Box that has already been opened.