NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We're told the gun used in the murder of United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson was a so-called ghost gun.
Simply put, privately manufactured firearms are guns without serial numbers that can be pieced together with a 3D printer, the computer code and some skill.
"Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, which has allowed a lot of hobbyists and innovators to purchase 3D printers and source CAD files that allow them to print things like frames, and receivers and then construct them at home into a working firearm," said Corell Thomas.
Corell Thomas has spent his whole career either in the military or in private security. He is the vice president of operations at Fortified Risk Group.
DIY firearms are generally legal in Tennessee. As long as they are not manufactured to be sold, 3D printing a gun for personal use does not require special permissions.
"Unless you are intent on selling said 3D printed firearm or giving it to someone, it is technically legal in the state of Tennessee for you to have an unserialized firearm," Thomas said.
Certain types of firearms that are regulated under the National Firearms Act cannot be 3D printed without going through the proper protocols. Those include machine guns, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers and destructive devices with suppressors. When it was first enacted in the 1930s, the underlying purpose of the NFA was to discourage transactions of firearms frequently used in crimes.
As you can imagine, these guns have both critics and supporters. Groups like Everytown for Gun Safety propose the spread of the computer code that is used to 3D print the firearm or its parts needs to be stopped.
Those who want to put an end to 3D printed guns have a bit of an uphill battle as 3D printers have simplified the manufacturing process in other industries, like the automobile and prosthetic industry.
"So it becomes the question of where do we draw the line where we're not prohibiting innovation in areas we need it in order to stop a percentage of nefarious actors," Thomas said.
Between 2016 and 2021, the ATF received more than 45,000 reports of so-called ghost guns used in a crime.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
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