DC Attorney General Karl Racine has filed a lawsuit against Polymer80, Inc., a company that manufactures guns, for allegedly advertising and selling illegal guns to the District’s residents.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) accuses the company of violating the city’s law by misleading its customers about the legality of its weapons and selling illegal firearms.
The focus of the lawsuit is the firearms known as “ghost guns” sold online by the Nevada-based corporation. These partially-assembled semi-automatic rifles and handguns do not bear information such as serial numbers that will help them to be identified. Hence, they are untraceable by law enforcement.
Over the past three years, the DC police seized 250 ghost guns, and more than 80 percent of them were made by Polymer80, including the ones involved in nine homicides.
Racine’s office is hoping to stop Polymer80 from advertising and selling illegal ghost guns to DC and get monetary relief including consumer restitution.
I’ve sued gun manufacturer Polymer80 for illegally advertising and selling untraceable guns to DC consumers.
+80% of the 250 #ghostguns recovered in DC since 2017 were made by Polymer80.
Ghost guns lack ID info and are untraceable. Learn more: https://t.co/BB4Fu7RBln pic.twitter.com/nSeN40GnHv
— AG Karl A. Racine (@AGKarlRacine) June 24, 2020
“Polymer80’s illegal ghost guns contribute to violence in the District, and each year, the number of ghost guns local law enforcement recovers has grown,” a statement by Racine’s office said.
“In 2017, the District recovered three ghost guns, followed by 25 in 2018, and 116 in 2019. The District is on track to set a new record in 2020, with 106 ghost guns recovered between January 1 and May 29 alone. Of the 250 ghost guns recovered since 2017, 208 were produced by Polymer80. Polymer80 handguns have been recovered in connection with nine homicides in the District.”
“Polymer80 makes it easy for individuals to buy unmarked and untraceable firearms that are commonly used to commit violent crimes,” said Racine. “Indeed, Polymer80’s guns have been used in several homicides in the District. The Office of the Attorney General is seeking a court order to stop the company from selling ghost guns to D.C. consumers and to get these deadly weapons off our streets.”