Schumer Demands Feds Crackdown on Ghost Guns Following Deadly Bronx Shooting

By: Ilana Siyance

On Sunday, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) demanded the federal government crackdown on “ghost guns”, citing the troublesome jump in DIY weapons found in New York City.

As reported by the NY Post, the Senate Majority Leader said untraceable firearms that buyers assemble on their own have become a problem, saying this is the type of weapon that was allegedly used in Friday’s tragic shooting in the Bronx, in which a teenage girl was killed and two others were wounded.  “These guns are too easy to build, too hard to trace, and too dangerous to be on our streets,” Schumer said. “Just ask the family of that beautiful 16-year-old who was killed in the Bronx.”

NYPD data shows a whopping 351 percent surge in the number of ghost guns seized by police so far in 2022. Between Jan. 1st and April 6th alone, some 131 makeshift guns were seized— compared with just 29 during the same period in 2021. “The issue of ghost guns is haunting all of New York,” Schumer added.  He asked the White House to make rules classifying the “partially complete” frames and receivers as firearms, which would then subject these parts for inclusion in gun regulations, including background checks and serial number collection. Following the proposed classification, online sellers of ghost gun parts and their kits would also be on the hook to register as licensed dealers of firearms.

“It is disgusting, dangerous and dastardly that anyone—a felon, a child, anyone, can go online right now and buy these kits like candy and do real damage or cause serious harm,” Schumer said. “We must unite behind the goal of stopping these ghost guns from proliferating like this.” As per the Post, this is not the first time that Schumer has  called on the Biden administration to address the loophole of ghost guns.  Last February, the Biden administration had responded, announcing plans to crack down on illegal ghost guns and firearms trafficking in the East Coast, but progress has not yet been made.

In October, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to crack down on ghost guns in New York, and making it illegal to possess an unfinished gun frame or receiver by anyone other than a licensed gunsmith or dealer.

Over the weekend, Bronx residents rallied to get guns off the street, following Friday’s incident in which a stray bullet killed 16-year-old Angellyh Yambo.   Police believe a ghost gun was used, as the accused shooter, 17-year-old Jeremiah Ryan, was caught tossing out a Polymer80 ghost gun from a Bronx apartment window prior to his arrest.