New federal "ghost guns" rule goes into effect
MINNEAPOLIS – A new federal rule governing "ghost guns" took effect Wednesday.
For the first time, the kits which allow people to assemble homemade firearms must include serial numbers and mandate background checks for people buying the guns.
United States Attorney Andy Lugar sounded the alarm last week, announcing that it's a new day when it comes to ghost guns.
"It is simple. If you violate federal law you will face swift and significant penalties," Lugar said.
A new federal regulation about ghost guns is targeting these unserialized guns used to commit violent crimes.
"The new laws will require that each of these build-to-shoot, privately-made firearms are serialized," said Jeffrey Reed, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). "Also, the companies that will be, you know, distributing or selling these build-to-shoot, privately-made firearms will also have to do background checks on the individuals that they're selling them to."
MORE: How untraceable ghost guns are impacting crime in the Twin Cities
The ATF is working around the clock to stop these privately-made firearms from getting into the hands of people who should not have them.
"It is not illegal to have a privately-made firearm, but to use any firearm, including a privately-made firearm in a crime of violence, or a prohibited person to possess them, is illegal -- and that's where we would be focusing at," Reed said.
And local and state law enforcement have some help. Lugar announced two national ATF special response teams are in Minnesota.
"These tactical groups, or SRT teams, are elite tactical groups that travel to high-crime areas to arrest significant violent offenders like those we are targeting in our communities here," Lugar said.
Cities across Minnesota are seeing an increase in the number of these ghost guns used in crimes, most coming from kits ordered online.
The hope is the new laws and increased federal penalties will keep criminals away from ghost guns.
The rule on ghost guns imposed by the Biden administration has been challenged in court. But judges in Texas and North Dakota both declined requests to block it. Additional court challenges are pending.
