Steven Carrillo, the Air Force sergeant and alleged Boogaloo adherent accused of murdering a federal security officer guarding the Oakland federal building and a Santa Cruz sheriff’s deputy in 2020, used a homemade AR-15-style rifle to carry out his attacks, according to police. Ghost guns have been used in mass shootings and attacks by alleged extremists across California, including a 2013 mass shooting in Santa Monica and a 2017 mass shooting in Tehama County that each killed five people.
The untraceable nature of ghost guns also makes them appealing to extremists, according to the JCAT report, referencing ghost gun seizure from hate groups, including three individuals allegedly plotting to attack a protest in 2020. “But if you can get one of these kit-built guns, you’re in business.” “It’s difficult to get your hands on a legal handgun if you are part of the criminal element,” McKeown said.
GHOST GUN REGISTRATION
“PMFs can be easily made using readily available instructions and commonly available tools, require no background check or firearms registration (serial number) under federal law, and their parts have become more accessible and affordable.”Ī 2019 investigation by The Trace and several local NBC TV stations found that 30 percent of all firearms recovered in California by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were unserialized. “Criminals and violent extremists continue to seek ways to acquire firearms through the production of privately made firearms (PMFs),” the report states.
“Illicit actors may seek PMFs to circumvent security, avoid some state government regulations, and evade detection of and complicate law enforcement investigative efforts,” the document states. The document highlights the relative ease of obtaining and assembling the parts to complete a ghost gun. The JCAT document warns law enforcement agencies around the country to be more aware and on the look-out for privately made firearms (PMFs). “You don’t need any safety training,” said Santa Clara County Crime Lab Director Ian Fitch as he showed off examples of AR-15 and Glock-style ghost guns recently sent to the lab for analysis.
*Data from San Jose police includes all unserialized firearms recovered by the agency The Santa Clara County Crime Lab reports examining a 135 privately made firearms last year, a record number for the lab. Ghost guns account for about 23% of all firearm recoveries in Oakland so far this year, according to data from the department. Across the bay, Oakland police say they recovered 206 privately made firearms in 2020, nearly four times the number from the previous year. San Francisco reported 164 recoveries in 2020, up from zero in 2015 and six the following year. Police in San Francisco and Oakland tell NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit they’re seeing record numbers of ghost gun seizures. The explosive rise in ghost gun recoveries is happening all over the Bay Area, not just San Jose. “This is a home industry now because it's incredibly profitable." “We found multiple garage builds (in Santa Clara County) that are building everything from the Glock style handguns to A-R15-style builds,” McKeown said. So, if you can order one of these kits to your door and use the included drill bits, you can have this done in a matter of minutes.”
“Because of the ease of assembly, it's a very attractive option, especially if you can't walk into a shop because you're a felon. “It’s a deliberate effort by the criminal element to work around California gun laws,” said Marisa McKeown, a supervising deputy district attorney in Santa Clara County.
GHOST GUN SERIAL NUMBER
That makes those guns untraceable unless the gun’s owner applies for a serial number as required by law in California.
GHOST GUN SERIAL NUMBERS
Missing serial numbers are one of the tell-tale signs of a ghost gun, which are frequently built from kits that can be legally purchased online without a background check because the unassembled parts aren’t regulated like a fully assembled firearm. “The number of PMF recoveries from 2018 to 2019 doubled among prohibited persons and felons,” the report states. San Mateo County Launches Mental Health Crisis Response Pilot in Four CitiesĬlick here to read the story from our partners at The Trace