Alternative Article: Tracing crime weapons in the United States has been a cornerstone of crime investigations for ages. This procedure often includes examiners scrutinizing firearm ballistics, unique serial numbers, and cross-referencing a large network of information comprising gun store repositories, manufacturer markers and crime records. However, the rise of virtually untraceable 3D printed guns and sound suppressors, like those recovered from alleged murderer Luigi Mangione, threatens to outmode the traditional investigative approach. As 3D printers grow more accessible, with some models available online for as little as $300, specialists worry about the increased appeal for potential criminals.
Termed ‘ghost guns’ and sound suppressors found in Mangione’s rucksack in Pennsylvania were allegedly constructed using a 3D printer and readily obtainable metal components, according to Altoona Police Department. “We knew it was only a matter of time before this kind of weaponry was implicated in a high-profile shooting,” expressed David Pucino, the legal director at the Giffords Law Centre, an organisation dedicated to preventing gun violence.
Mangione’s fabricated weapon, say prosecutors, are linked to shell casings found at Brian Thompson’s murder site. Once considered novelties, these 3D printed arms have morphed into a traceless nightmare, with related arrests recently tripling. With 3D-printer quality improving even as prices drop, experts express concerns of a burgeoning crisis of concealed, unregistered arms, thus transforming the United States into its notorious equivalent – the Wild West.
Current regulations surrounding “ghost guns” are inconsistent, differing from state to state, although President Biden has promised to address this issue by setting up a task force in September. Meanwhile, veteran professor Felipe Rodriguez from John Jay College of Criminal Justice coins the situation as “the most terrifying thing I’ve ever witnessed,” suggesting that the issue of unregulated guns is likely to esculate with the advent of 3D printing technology.
Weapons similar to those confiscated from Mangione are relatively cheap to build and can produce more than firearms. Conversion switches, grenades, even potentially bombs, if combined with ample knowledge and capabilities, are within easy reach.
While the right to bear arms community argues that this practice aligns with the enduring American tradition of crafting personal weaponry, others worry about an impending era of unforeseen crime resulting from untraceable, easily produced weapons.
In an example from 2019, officials seized a 3D-printed AR-15 from a previously domestic violence offender. However, he claimed that he was justified in owning the weapon since it was self-made rather than purchased.
Even though efforts to control the use of 3D-printed guns have begun, effectual regulation is still a considerable challenge. Currently, only 15 states have rules regarding “ghost guns,” reports Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit advocating for gun control.
Industry publication 3Dprint.com reports an alarming increase in arrests pertaining to 3D printed weaponry. These printers have the potential to fabricate a variety of weapons such as bombs, grenades, and devices capable of converting firearms to automatic.
Pucino at the Giffords Law Center proposes potential mitigations such as licensing for printing guns and detecting and regulating 3D printers used to fabricate such arms. Despite these propositions, they may be mere stopgaps to a problem he analogises as the “genie released from its bottle.”