The number of so-called suspected "ghost guns" traced and recovered by the federal government more than doubled in 2021 from the year before, according to a report published Wednesday by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Why it matters: The increased tracing of ghost guns — also known as privately made firearms — reflects an increased awareness of ATF's tracing efforts as well as an uptick in the criminal use of ghost guns, per the report.
