Luigi Mangione has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
According to police, the 26-year-old – who has been charged with weapons, forgeries, and other offences in Pennsylvania, US – had a “ghost gun” manufactured using a 3D printer. It was found on him when he was arrested at a McDonald’s.
These firearms lack serial numbers – and are therefore impossible for law enforcement to track down. But what exactly are they? And what are the laws on owning one in the US or the UK?
Here’s what you need to know.
What are 3D-printed guns?
A 3D-printed gun or “ghost gun” is a firearm that is partially or primarily produced with a 3D printer.
The term “ghost gun” refers to firearms that are purchased as unfinished frames and receivers, which are the two main pieces of a handgun. These parts can be assembled with additional, separately obtained parts to make the firearm functional.
The name refers to their invisibility to law enforcement.
Are 3D-printed guns illegal in the UK?
3D-printed guns are not allowed in the UK, according to the Firearms Act 1968, which prohibits the manufacturing of guns and gun parts without government approval.
The UK Parliament has made the laws on them very clear, saying: “If a 3D-printed firearm is made, it is treated in exactly the same way as any other type of illegal firearm.”
Possession of a forbidden weapon, including one that is 3D printed, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, with a minimum of five years.
Are ghost guns outlawed in the US?
Building and buying 3D guns is legal at a federal level, however, they are being tightly regulated ever since Joe Biden came into administration.
Since the 1990s, do-it-yourself gun kits have been a popular pastime among gun lovers. However, their use in high-profile shootings has increased since the early 2010s. 3D printers have also been used to build fully functional guns, gun parts and accessories.
Before 2022, gun kits could be sold without serial numbers or being registered and buyers didn’t have to meet minimum age requirements or pass a background check to have one shipped to them.
According to data from the US Department of Justice, 25,785 3D guns were seized in the US in 2022, up from 1,629 in 2017.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) established a rule in 2022 that required companies selling 3D-gun kits to add serial numbers to incomplete frames and receivers and to run a background check on potential buyers. This rule placed some aspects of ghost-gun kits in the same legal category as other firearms.
Additionally, it mandates that gun dealers with federal licences maintain records of sales of 3D-gun kits until they cease operations. Kit manufacturers, Second Amendment advocates, and lawyers who filed legal challenges to the rule swiftly denounced this action, claiming that the ATF had over-reached its jurisdiction.
Regarding firearms in general, Donald Trump, the incoming president of the United States, has established himself as an ardent supporter of the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms.
He claimed to be the best friend of the National Rifle Association (NRA) earlier this year.
It is yet to be established whether he will relax gun laws. However, he has stated the Second Amendment is “under siege”.
