Manhattan’s District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, has reached out to Shenzhen Creality 3D Technology, a Chinese manufacturer of 3D printers, requesting them to halt the production of "ghost guns"—untraceable weapons made at home using 3D printers. In a letter sent Wednesday, Bragg urged the company to install software in its printers that would prevent the printing of common parts used in firearms. He also called for the removal of weapon blueprints from the company’s cloud platform that allow users to manufacture guns without undergoing background checks.
This request comes in response to a rising trend of ghost guns being utilized in criminal activities within New York City. The NYPD and Bragg’s office have recently seized several firearms manufactured using Creality printers. The DA’s office indicated that Bragg plans to contact additional 3D printer manufacturers to discuss similar safety measures.
Bragg highlighted the urgency of this issue by referencing specific incidents, including one where a suspect involved in drug manufacturing used a Creality printer to produce multiple assault weapons. Another cited case involved a man who threatened his girlfriend and built an arsenal of weapons in his home using the same technology.
Recent statistics underscore the growing problem of ghost guns in the city, with seizures escalating from 151 in 2021 to 438 in 2024. Bragg pointed out that these firearms have been linked to various violent crimes, including a case where a ghost gun was reportedly used to kill a prominent healthcare CEO.
Bragg expressed hope for collaboration with the manufacturing companies to enhance public safety and mitigate the risks associated with unregulated weapon production.