CeaseFirePA Education Fund celebrated this week’s United States Supreme Court 7-2 ruling in Bondi v. VanDerStok to uphold the federal rule addressing the rising problem of ghost guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) rule clarified that the parts used to make ghost guns are legally firearms, which means that they must have serial numbers and can only be sold by licensed sellers after a background check.
Adam Garber, CeaseFirePA Education Fund’s Executive Director issued the following statement:
“Ghost guns allow criminals to access guns without background checks and hinder law enforcement officers from investigating violent crime. Between 2018 and 2022, ghost gun recoveries rose 4,600% in Philadelphia alone as they became the weapon of choice for abusers and violent individuals who couldn’t legally buy a gun.
“That trend reversed in the last two years, as the new ATF rule sent ghost gun recoveries plummeting, saving countless lives.
“Today’s decision reaffirmed that life-saving rule. It will help prevent firearms from falling into dangerous hands and make our communities safer.”
“Pennsylvania elected officials should follow the ATF’s lead by passing strong ghost gun ordinances to ensure there is no gap in our safety system that can allow untraceable firearms to fall into the hands of domestic abusers, people with violent records and other prohibited purchasers.”
What are ghost guns?
Ghost guns, which are untraceable firearms often assembled from parts or created using 3D printers, are a huge threat to public safety. These kits, which are often over 75% assembled, make it so people who otherwise wouldn’t be legally allowed to purchase firearms can still access dangerous weapons. For those who want to legally build firearms, there are already pathways to follow the law and make sure those firearms have serialized parts.
Ghost guns also lack serial numbers, making them nearly impossible to track and incredibly easy for individuals to obtain without undergoing any background checks.
