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Foxnews is usually far right, and this article is lean right

Significant Quote:

"The California registry cross-matches databases to find people who legally purchased weapons but are now banned from ownership because they have been convicted of felonies or a violent misdemeanor, or have a history of domestic violence or mental illness"

Summary: The article notes that while California has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, including a ban on assault weapons and a requirement that all guns have a serial number, ghost guns have become an increasing concern for law enforcement.

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California law enforcement took away 54 so-called ghost guns last year from people who can't legally own firearms, a 38% jump in the number of the hard-to-trace weapons seized since 2021 under a unique state program, officials said Monday.

The ghost guns, which are privately made firearms without a serial number, were part of nearly 1,500 guns taken statewide last year through an only-in-California program called the Armed and Prohibited Persons System, known as APPS.

The California registry cross-matches databases to find people who legally purchased weapons but are now banned from ownership because they have been convicted of felonies or a violent misdemeanor, or have a history of domestic violence or mental illness. State and local authorities then can move to seize the weapons under the program, which began in 2006.

Generally, firearms manufactured by licensed companies are required to have serial numbers that allow officials to trace the gun back to the manufacturer, the firearms dealer and original purchaser. That's how the registry can find the people who are prohibited from having guns, as well as the weapons linked to them.
BIDEN ANNOUNCES RULE MAKING 'GHOST GUNS' ILLEGAL AS PART OF COMPREHENSIVE GUN CRIME STRATEGY
Ghost guns, however, are made of parts and are then assembled together - without the serial numbers that can be used to follow the gun's path. Law enforcement working to find the legal firearms listed on the state registry coincidentally found the ghost guns and seized those as well.

The number of ghost guns discovered by law enforcement through their APPS work has jumped dramatically in recent years. In 2018, officials seized just eight ghost guns through their work on the registry, Attorney General Rob Bonta's office said.

Bonta has ordered the state's Department of Justice to focus more on ghost gun investigations in general after years of increased illegal activity.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CRACKDOWN ON 'GHOST GUNS' TAKES EFFECT
Guns without serial numbers have been used in deadly violence over the past year, including in New York, where a teenage girl was killed outside a high school in the Bronx, and in Sacramento, when a man fatally shot his three daughters inside a church.

The APPS registry included 23,869 people as of Jan. 1, including nearly 9,300 active cases. The remaining cases - almost 15,000 - include people who are incarcerated, have moved out of state or cannot be located after multiple attempts, Bonta's office said.

In one case, an attempt to contact a man in Costa Mesa led to an eight-hour armed standoff in Southern California after he fired at the officers. The suspect was on the state's list because he had a misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence, as well as an active misdemeanor arrest warrant. He eventually surrendered and authorities recovered a rifle, a shotgun and multiple handguns, the attorney general's office said.

Last year, the total seizure included 712 handguns, 360 rifles, 194 shotguns, 80 assault weapons, three short-barreled shotguns and a machine gun, as well as more than 281,000 rounds of ammunition, according to a report released Monday.

That's roughly comparable to seizures in 2021, when 1,428 firearms - including 39 ghost guns - were taken by law enforcement under the APPS program.

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California law enforcement seize 54 ghost guns last year from people who can't legally own firearms

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California law enforcement took away 54 so-called ghost guns last year from people who can't legally own firearms, a 38% jump in the number of the hard-to-trace weapons seized since 2021 under a unique state program, officials said Monday.

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New York Times is usually far left, and is in this article too

Significant Quote:

"Investigators in this city just south of San Diego are still trying to determine exactly what happened on that Saturday morning in July"

"If the seventh-grader accidentally shot himself, or if his 15-year-old friend, who the police say had brought the weapon into the apartment, discharged it while showing it off.  What is certain is the kind of weapon that killed Max. It was a 'ghost gun.' "

Summary: The article explores the growing trend of "ghost guns," which are homemade firearms that can be purchased online without a background check or serial number. These weapons are being used in a rising number of crimes and have become a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies across the United States. The article delves into the various aspects of the problem, including how the kits are sold and assembled, the lack of regulation, and the impact they are having on public safety.

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‘Ghost Guns’: Firearm Kits Bought Online Fuel Epidemic of Violence (Published 2021)

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They are untraceable, assembled from parts and can be ordered by gang members, felons and even children. They are increasingly the lethal weapon of easy access around the U.S., but especially California.

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Abcnews is usually lean left, and this article is lean left

Significant Quote:

"When we first heard about these weapons, we thought anyone can get them, even a kid. It's not a hypothetical anymore"

Summary: The article adds on the alarming trend of "ghost guns" being used in school shootings and other violent crimes. Ghost guns are firearms that are assembled from parts purchased online, without serial numbers, and therefore making them untraceable.

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Since November, at least four school shootings had an alarming connection to law enforcement and activists alike; the suspected shooters used a "ghost gun."

A "ghost gun" is a firearm that comes packaged in parts, can be bought online and assembled without much of a trace, which experts warn are becoming increasingly dangerous.

"When we first heard about these weapons, we thought anyone can get them, even a kid. It's not a hypothetical anymore," Alex McCourt, an assistant professor with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy, told ABC News.

McCourt, law enforcement offices and other experts who have been studying the proliferation of "ghost guns" told ABC News this trend is likely to continue beyond the school setting unless policymakers take action.

There are two types of weapons that fall under the ghost gun moniker, according to McCourt.

The first is a plastic gun that can be made with a 3D printer and usually fires one bullet.

The second version, which he said has been increasingly found at crime scenes, is do-it-yourself gun assembly kits that include all the parts of a gun, but without serial numbers or specific components. McCourt said these homemade guns bypass state and federal laws requiring tracing.

Due to loopholes in federal gun laws, the kits are not considered firearms because they are missing specific completed components. In addition, under current laws, users aren't allowed to register their constructed weapons with the federal government.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told ABC News that the number of "privately made firearms" or PMF recovered from crime scenes by law enforcement has increased over the years. In 2016, law enforcement agencies across the country confiscated 1,750 PMFs from crime scenes, and the number jumped to 8,712 in 2020, according to the agency.

"From Jan. 1, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2020, there were approximately 23,906 suspected PMFs reported to ATF as having been recovered by law enforcement from potential crime scenes, including 325 homicides or attempted homicides," ATF spokeswoman Carolyn Gwathmey said in a statement.

Gwathmey said the data might be undercounted as not all law enforcement agencies have submitted their PMF and "ghost gun" numbers to the federal government.

Legal loopholes allow the "ghost gun" kits to be sold online, and all it takes is common house tools to construct in under half an hour, McCourt said.

"It's much less complicated than you might think," he said. "If you can put together IKEA furniture, you can assemble these weapons," he said.

Rob Wilcox, the federal legal director at Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit gun safety organization, told ABC News there are several online sites that not only sell the "ghost gun" kits but also provide step-by-step instructions to customers of any age without any oversight or background check. Wilcox said even though the federal government has limited data on these online marketplaces, his group's research has found that the number of Internet-based "ghost gun" retailers has been increasing over the years.

"You can ship it to a place where there is no watchful eye," he said.

The weapons have recently made their way into school grounds.

On Nov. 29, a 15-year-old student allegedly shot and wounded a 16-year-old classmate with a "ghost gun" at Cesar Chavez High School in Phoenix, according to the Phoenix Police Department. The investigation is ongoing, a police spokeswoman told ABC News.

Steven Alston Jr., a 17-year-old student at Magruder High School in Rockville, Maryland, allegedly shot and critically wounded a 15-year-old classmate on Jan. 21, during a dispute, police said. Investigators said Alston, who is being tried as an adult with attempted second-degree murder, allegedly used a "ghost gun."

"Three different parts were literally delivered to his home," Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones told reporters at a news conference days after the shooting.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, police said on Feb. 25, 14-year-old Marcos Trejo shot his classmate outside West Mesa High School during a fight over a ghost gun. Trejo has been charged with murder, police said.

The most recent incident took place on March 4, when an 18-year-old suspect used a "ghost gun" to wound two teachers and a student at Olathe East High School in Kansas, according to prosecutors. Jaylon Desean Elmore has been charged with attempted capital murder, according to Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe.

In all of the investigations, police and prosecutors told ABC News they are still looking into how the guns got into the hands of the teen suspects and have been warning about their spread in their communities.

A spokeswoman for the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office, which is investigating the Magruder High School shooting, told ABC News in a statement that "ghost guns have been recovered from five county schools since the start of the school year."

Some states have taken legislative action against "ghost guns in light of these incidents."

Nine states, including New York and California, have responded to the growth of "ghost guns" with laws that regulate the sales of them by requiring background checks and serial numbers for all of the components in the kits, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.

New York state's "ghost gun" regulations went into effect this fall after legislators said it saw a 479% increase in "ghost gun" seizures across the state over the last three years.

""If you can't pass a background check to get a gun, then you shouldn't be able to get a gun--period," State Sen. Anna Kaplan, who introduced one of the New York bills, said in a statement last year.

Cities like Denver, San Francisco and Philadelphia have also adopted similar laws.

Some states are also considering similar legislation. For example, Maryland state lawmakers are debating a bill, SB 387, which would prohibit "a person from purchasing, receiving, selling, offering to sell, or transferring an unfinished frame or receiver."

During a hearing last month, law enforcement groups and district attorney offices, including Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy, pushed Maryland legislators to pass the bill.

"If you're looking at an increase in violent crime across the country and in my county in particular, ghost guns are involved," McCarthy told ABC News. "The real danger of ghost guns is really two-fold. Number one, prohibited persons, who we in Maryland have decided should not have guns, can get these guns- and number two, we're finding increasingly they fall into the hands of children."

Maryland Sen. Justin Ready told the Baltimore Sun before the Jan. 25 hearing that he didn't think banning "ghost guns" would be effective because criminals would still find a way to obtain a weapon.

"I would have a lot more respect for these gun control groups if they came in strong supporting the bills cracking down on the people that commit violent acts," Ready told the Baltimore Sun.

McCourt said lawmakers have constantly played catch up with evolving technology and these bills are a good first start, but because of the reach of online sales, the federal government needs to step in.

"Having a patchwork of state laws doesn't do much," he said.

Last year, the Biden administration and Justice Department proposed a new rule that would allow the ATF to redefine "firearm frame or receiver" and "frame or receiver" so the agency can regulate "ghost guns."

The ATF is currently reviewing public comments for the proposal, according to the White House.

Wilcox said Biden's proposal would effectively cripple the sale of "ghost guns" online and make it easier for law enforcement agencies to track the kits.

In the meantime, Wilcox said parents and caregivers need to be in frequent conversation with their children about the homemade gun kits.

"You have to know if your child is in crisis, you have to limit their access to guns," he said. "That includes access to the sites that sell those ghost guns."

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'Ghost guns' showing up in school shootings, experts fear trend will get worse

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Since November, at least four school shootings had an alarming connection to law enforcement and activists alike; the suspected shooters used a "ghost gun." A "ghost gun" is a firearm that comes packaged in parts, can be bought online and assembled without much of a trace, which experts warn are becoming increasingly dangerous.

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BBC news is usually centeral, and this article is central

Significant Quote:

"Experts are calling ghost guns the fastest-growing gun safety problem in America. The number of ghost guns recovered from crime scenes by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), has risen by more than 1,000% since 2017."

Summary: Ghost guns can be easily purchased online without a background check or any kind of regulation, making them a popular choice among criminals and people who are prohibited from owning firearms. The article also touches on the debate surrounding ghost guns, with gun rights advocates arguing that they are a legal way for people to exercise their Second Amendment rights, while gun control advocates argue that they represent a dangerous loophole in the country's gun laws.

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Why ghost guns are America’s fastest-growing gun problem

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The sale of untraceable gun parts is fuelling the illegal gun trade in America and the world.

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Washington Times is usually lean right, and this article is far right

Significant Quote:

"Mr. Biden’s White House says these 'ghost guns' are 'the weapon of choice for many violent criminals.' What they don’t tell you is that 'many' equals about 115 homicides per year out of a total of about 16,000. In fact, violent criminals use knives, hammers and their own hands and feet more than a homemade firearm. (Don’t tell Mr. Biden, or he’ll want a regulation on your feet.)"

Summary: The article explains that the new regulations will require sellers of ghost gun kits to conduct background checks on buyers and will also require that all guns with DIY frames or receivers have a serial number, which will help law enforcement track the guns if they are used in crimes. The article also discusses the opposition to the new regulations from gun rights advocates, who argue that they are an infringement on Second Amendment rights, and from some members of Congress, who have promised to challenge the regulations in court.

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Never mind gas prices doubling since former President Donald Trump left office, or inflation higher than under any elected president since record-keeping began, or the one-year anniversary of President Biden's botched surrender in Afghanistan, in which 13 American patriots died unnecessarily and which sacrificed the gains another 2,312 Americans died for as well. No, Mr. Biden wants you to be spooked by fictional "ghost guns."

On Wednesday, Mr. Biden's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' "Ghost Gun" and Gun Registry Final Rule went into effect. The rule cracks down on guns made in American homes, something we've been doing since before the Republic was founded.

Mr. Biden's White House says these "ghost guns" are "the weapon of choice for many violent criminals." What they don't tell you is that "many" equals about 115 homicides per year out of a total of about 16,000. In fact, violent criminals use knives, hammers and their own hands and feet more than a homemade firearm. (Don't tell Mr. Biden, or he'll want a regulation on your feet.)

Now, Gun Owners of America doesn't condone any criminal misuse of a firearm, but let's get serious for a second. The Biden administration isn't coming for knives, hammers or your hands and feet - yet. They're coming for your guns, and they are attacking your Second Amendment right to bear arms, whether that firearm is made by a gun manufacturer or in your own home.

GOA has been on the other side, your side, in Mr. Biden's War on Guns. We've been defending your Second Amendment rights in this war, and in this latest salvo from the administration, we've held the line.

Specifically, GOA, with the help of a total of 60,000 of its supporters and other Americans, were able to successfully win three main victories in the battle over "ghost guns:"

First, Americans will not have to serialize (read: register) every new magazine, barrel or trigger used to upgrade their existing firearms, as Mr. Biden's ATF originally wanted.

Second, Americans will not have to register a firearm when they simply "Cerakote," or color their firearms to protect them, as Mr. Biden's ATF also demanded.

Third, GOA forced ATF to walk back a requirement that gun dealers immediately register privately made firearms taken into inventory, allowing homemade firearms enthusiasts a window to avoid registration when going to a gunsmith for same-day service.

In fact, the ATF explicitly conceded that their initial draconian regulations were modified because of the "numerous comments" made by GOA members and gun owners across the country regarding the rule. That's a win against Mr. Biden and his gun-grabbing minions, and we couldn't be more proud. But - and this is important - even though we were able to defend you against this attack, it is still an attack on all our rights. Mr. Biden doesn't want you to be able to defend yourself. Don't forget that.

There is much more work to do in order to push back against Mr. Biden's War on Guns, and the GOA, together with the Gun Owners Foundation, are in that fight, on your side, defending your rights.

In fact, GOA and GOF have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of this newest rule, and we are excited that 17 state attorneys general has joined us in that lawsuit. AGs from Arizona, West Virginia, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming answered the call and are defending your rights with us.

In fact, according to Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, "The ATF is attempting to overshoot the authority granted to it by Congress." In his view, this "ghost gun" rule is "unconstitutional, impractical, and would likely put a large number of parts manufacturers out of business."

We're going to defend you until this rule is completely gutted, and we will stand vigilant against any further attacks on your Second Amendment rights. We're not spooked by Mr. Biden's ghost guns - or his unceasing war on derisively defined "assault weapons."

In the true interest of public safety, Mr. Biden should stop trying to criminalize law-abiding American gun owners who simply want to protect themselves - thereby freeing precious law-enforcement resources to go after violent, dangerous criminals.
* John Velleco is currently the executive vice president for Gun Owners of America, a grassroots lobbying organization with more than 2 million members and supporters nationwide.
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Never mind gas prices doubling since former President Donald Trump left office, or inflation higher than under any elected president since record-keeping began, or the one-year anniversary of President Biden's botched surrender in Afghanistan, in which 13 American patriots died unnecessarily and which sacrificed the gains another 2,312 Americans died for as well.