Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with murder UnitedHealthcare CEO shot dead Brian ThompsonHe apparently had a ghost gun, which is a type of firearm that can be made at home, police said Monday.
Mangione was taken into custody at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday, nearly a week after Thompson was murdered in New York City. Thompson was shot in the back and calf.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney said, “The information we are getting out of Altoona right now is that the gun appears to be a ghost gun, made on a 3D printer, with the ability to fire 9mm rounds ” monday. “Obviously, this will come up during our ballistic testing.”
Earlier in the investigation, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told CBS News that police believe the suspect used B&T Station Six Gun to carry out shooting. Investigators met with gun dealers in Connecticut during their search. The gun used in the shooting had a long barrel and a specific formCBS News' Anna Schechter reports. In addition to the unusual gun, the words “delay,” “deny” and possibly “remove” also appeared. shell casings and pills recovered from the shooting scene, police said.
What is a ghost gun?
A privately made gunAccording to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, what is commonly known as a ghost gun is a gun that has been assembled or completed by people other than licensed manufacturers.
They are manufactured without serial numbers, which can make them difficult to track. Not all ghost guns are illegal and not all firearms are required to have serial numbers. Ghost guns can be pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, machine guns and more.
From 2016 to 2021, the ATF received reports of more than 45,000 suspected ghost guns that were recovered by police from potential crime scenes.
How do people usually make ghost guns?
The Ghost Gun can be made using a 3D printer or assembled from a kit. The weapons can be produced for less than $200, although officials put the average price at about $500, CBS News first reported,
In 2018, CBS News correspondent Carter Evans was able buy a kit For a gun like the Glock 9mm, there are no background checks or waiting periods. Kits are available online for everything from handguns to AR-15s and AK-47s.
“You can buy a box of firearm parts, and you can put those firearms together. And I've seen videos on YouTube where you can see people doing it in record time – 20, 30 minutes, Marvin Richardson, acting director of ATF in 2022, has previously Said,
Are ghost guns illegal?
Not all ghost guns are illegal. According to the ATF, individuals can create their own firearms using 3D printing or another process if the gun is “recognizable,” as defined in the Gun Control Act.
It is generally legal to own a firearm for personal use without a license, According to ATF,
Some states, including New York – where Thompson's shooting took place – have additional laws related to ghost guns.
What does a ghost gun look like?
There are many types of ghost guns with different appearances. The ATF lists 10 categories of privately manufactured firearms: pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, frames or receivers, machine gun conversion devices, destructive devices, machine guns, firearm silencers and any other weapon.
ATF