UPDATE (Aug. 9) – Lee County Sheriff is responding to the judge`s decision to order Andrew Byrd all guns. For this article, CBS News consulted The Trace, a nonprofit journalism organization that reports on guns. Trace correspondent Alain Stephens examined the ATF`s efforts to reduce the criminal use of ghost weapons in the run-up to the federal rule change. Read the full story here. Ghost guns have been a growing problem for law enforcement in recent years. Almost all ghost guns found at crime scenes — more than 99 percent — can`t be traced at all, according to ATF. At the same time, the number of ghost guns used in crime has risen sharply – by 1,000% since 2016, although they still account for only 3% of all guns seized by police. Bob and Hugh started putting serial numbers on every gun they made in 2018, when California began requiring ghost guns with serial numbers. It is one of the few states to regulate ghost guns. A Lee County judge ordered an 18-year-old to hand over all his weapons and ammunition. This was in response to an application for a risk protection order filed by the Lee County Sheriff`s Office.
Florida does not have a law that restricts undetectable firearms, also known as “ghost guns,” or undetectable firearms. “What we need is for the ATF to be really careful in implementing the rule,” Pucino said. “To make sure that people who sell guns under a different name sell the parts. This can be used to regulate firearms as if they were selling firearms. And if the ATF does that, I think the rule will be very effective. Online, many websites selling ghost gun parts have published countdowns to the rule`s effective date and have published information for enthusiasts who want to continue building guns at home. Typical firearms must include a serial number that law enforcement can use to track them when used in a crime, but ghost guns do not have a serial number. In addition, anyone can buy ghost gun parts online without background checks, allowing criminals to bypass restrictions designed to prevent them from buying a traditional firearm from an authorized dealer. “Our officers and detectives are working diligently to rid our community of illegal guns and reduce the likelihood of those guns falling into the wrong hands,” said Deputy Chief Constable Jason Laursen of the Tallahassee Police Department. “This conviction is a testament to the crucial role the justice system plays in holding accountable those who help individuals illegally possess firearms that could be used in violent crimes against the citizens of Tallahassee.” Under Florida law, the sheriff`s office can obtain Byrd`s guns. If this is not possible or necessary because the defendant is present at the protection order hearing, the law states that Byrd may physically bring his weapons and ammunition to the sheriff`s office. Websites include companies like 80-lower.com that ask visitors to “take their liberty while you can” and links to AR-15 recipient product listings.
A similar website, 80percentarms.com, promises to continue sending ghost gun parts until the day the rule begins. Representatives for 80-lower.com and 80percentarms.com did not respond to CBS News` request for comment. “For the end user, if you`re a responsible gun owner who wants to make their own weapons, you`re not going to have any effect — no change, really,” Pucino said. “He`s just going to go through the same process you would go through to buy a ready-made gun. However, if you are a criminal actor, someone who is trying to circumvent these laws, you will no longer be able to do so because you will not be able to get the parts that will be used to make these ghost weapons. The problem is that LCSO`s lawyer says Byrd or someone who lives in his home is not supposed to have a gun. Byrd was on juvenile probation, which dates back to a Florida Highway Patrol case in January 2022 involving two drug charges and possession of a firearm that documents said was also a ghost gun. “The NRA supports the right of law-abiding Americans to make their own firearms for personal use without permission from the federal government. Firearms manufactured by individuals are subject to the same rules and regulations as firearms manufactured by a business. It is still illegal for individuals banned from possessing them, and those who violate them face up to 10 years in prison. People made their own guns before the country was created, and there is no good reason why a law-abiding person should be prohibited from owning them.