INTELBRIEF
September 20, 2024
The Emerging Threat of 3D-Printed Firearms
Bottom Line Up Front:
- Ghost guns are untraceable firearms that can be easily manufactured using 3D printers or assembly kits, creating a significant loophole in traditional gun control measures and posing a growing threat to public safety globally.
- Online platforms and forums have made ghost guns more accessible by providing instructional guides and resources, enabling unlicensed individuals to easily construct these weapons at home.
- The United States has seen a sharp increase in the use of ghost guns, with law enforcement encountering these untraceable firearms more frequently in criminal activity, violent extremist plots, and violent incidents involving both radicalized individuals and youth.
- The Internet has not only facilitated access to ghost guns but has also become a breeding ground for radicalization, drawing firearm enthusiasts into extremist circles where violent and hateful ideologies are propagated.
In early September, authorities in Detroit arrested a 14-year-old who had been manufacturing 3D-printed firearms in his home. The teenager possessed 3D-printed gun parts, 3D printers, and small 3D-printed devices designed to convert pistols into fully automatic weapons. Although police intervened before the firearms could be used, the incident highlights a growing concern and global trend: the ease with which untraceable firearms — known as ghost guns — are falling into the hands of individuals who should not have access to them, including young people and violent extremists.
Ghost guns are privately made firearms that lack serial numbers and are manufactured without regulatory oversight. These weapons can be created by assembling components from kits or by 3D-printing parts from scratch. This makes them virtually impossible for authorities to trace, bypassing traditional gun control measures and allowing for the sale or manufacture of firearms without a license.
With online platforms offering publicly available manuals and instructional videos, it has become easier for ordinary individuals to learn how to build their own ghost guns. One online group, Deterrence Dispensed, has played a central role in promoting the “Do It Yourself” gun culture. Led by online influencer "Ivan the Troll," an alias for 26-year-old Illinoisan John Elik, the group has made several 3D-printed gun models go viral along with detailed instructions for building them.
Investigations have also revealed that YouTube's algorithm can unintentionally guide viewers — who may not have been initially seeking such content — toward videos that teach them how to construct ghost guns. As Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg noted in a recent hearing, "you can go from watching a game like 'Call of Duty' on YouTube to getting a workshop on how to build a ghost gun with just a few clicks."
The growing ease of access to weapon manufacturing has led various experts to consider ghost guns one of the fastest-growing threats to gun safety in America. A 2023 U.S. Department of Justice report revealed a dramatic increase in the number of privately made firearms recovered by law enforcement, rising over 1000 percent from 1,629 in 2017 to 19,273 in 2021. This problem is compounded by the proliferation of machine gun conversion devices (MCDs), which can convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing hundreds of rounds with a single trigger pull.
The rising accessibility of 3D-printed firearms has also led to a troubling trend of youth involvement, both as victims and perpetrators. In 2019, a 16-year-old student at Saugus High School near Los Angeles used a semi-automatic ghost gun to kill two classmates before taking his own life. In 2022, police in New Rochelle, New York, discovered a 16-year-old who had set up a "ghost gun factory" in his bedroom and killed another teenager with one of the weapons. Later that year, two teenagers in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, were arrested with ghost guns after one fatally shot his friend while attempting to fire from a car. These incidents are not isolated, reflecting a broader trend in the U.S. and beyond. They also coincide with increasing youth involvement in violent extremist spaces, especially on the far-right, where young people are increasingly engaged in spreading narratives, recruiting members, committing acts of violence, and leading extremist groups.
Ghost guns have also increasingly become a weapon of choice for domestic extremists looking for untraceable, accessible firearms. In the U.S., these guns have brought extremists close to potentially carrying out or facilitating violent acts. In April 2024, a 35-year-old man with ties to a white supremacist group was sentenced after authorities discovered two 3D printers, one decorated with Nazi symbols, at his home. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the man had manufactured weapons for years and had previously posted online calling for the “mass murder and genocide of Jews.” Just this month, one of the alleged leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that promotes lone-wolf attacks against minorities and government institutions, was arrested. She was found with a 3D-assault weapon, other 3D-printed guns, and Nazi paraphernalia. She also had provided her Terrorgram followers with a hit-list of high-profile targets in the U.S. government, allegedly with the goal of inciting a race war, according to California federal prosecutors.
The relationship between online gun culture and extremism, however, goes both ways. While violent extremists are accessing ghost guns online, individuals initially looking for information about firearms are also being pulled into extremist circles. Forums dedicated to weapons, such as those on Reddit and 4chan, have become breeding grounds for not only illegal gun trade but also radicalization. Many users begin with legitimate firearm discussions but soon encounter illegal activities and extremist rhetoric. This was evident in the 2022 Buffalo shooting, where the 18-year-old gunman stated in his manifesto that his interest in firearms led him to 4chan's /k/ board, a forum focused on weapons and military topics. There, he was exposed to conspiracy theories about mass disarmament by political elites, as well as racist and antisemitic content that fueled his white supremacist ideology.
Beyond the United States, this issue also presents a serious challenge for countries where widespread gun ownership and violence have historically been far less common due to strict gun control laws. In these nations, the sudden rise of ghost guns could leave law enforcement unprepared to manage the influx of untraceable weapons, potentially resulting in an increase in gun-related crimes and empowering violent extremists who previously had limited access to firearms. Though still an emerging threat, the danger is already apparent.
In 2019, a neo-Nazi in Germany used a homemade gun to kill two people during a racially motivated attack on a synagogue in Halle. Similarly, the 2022 assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe involved a makeshift firearm. The trend has also been noted in the wake of October 7. For example, a 20-year-old man was arrested in Italy in early June for creating weapons and ammunition with a 3D printer after authorities found an arsenal of homemade weapons in his home. According to investigators, he had also spread racially motivated and antisemitic videos on Telegram, which triggered an anti-terrorism alert. In the United Kingdom, three men were arrested on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack in Leeds and were found in possession of a 3D-printed FGC-9 semi-automatic firearm. These examples underscore the threat of this trend in countries where firearms are more heavily regulated, such as under UK and EU regulations, and how it will continue to be a particular challenge for law enforcement.