LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is calling on three credit card companies to “show responsible corporate citizenship” by stopping online payments for the purchase of ghost gun kits.
Ghost guns, which are virtually untraceable by law enforcement because they’re unregistered and lack a serial number, are assembled with a set of tools sold for about $350 to $500 on the internet, according to Gascón.
“American Express, Mastercard, and Visa have the ability to go beyond what any law enforcement agency, legislature or city council can accomplish,” Gascón said Tuesday. “We are asking these companies to join us in stemming the flow of ghost guns into our communities by preventing a ghost gun kit from being sold with a few mere clicks on a smartphone or computer.”
Gascón was joined by LAPD Chief Michael Moore and San Gabriel Police Chief Gene Harris, who is president of the L.A. County Police Chiefs’ Association, in urging the credit card companies to halt the online transactions involving ghost guns.
Gascón said because the weapons are purchased with no valid background checks and only a self-certification process, ghost guns can end up in the hands of someone who shouldn’t own a gun, such as a felon or an underage person.
“It is well documented and beyond dispute that the proliferation of ghost guns has had a debilitating effect on our country, our state and our county,” Gascón said. “By prohibiting online payments for ghost guns, the credit card agencies can take meaningful steps to improve public safety.”
Since 2017, the number of ghost guns seized by the LAPD has increased by approximately 400% and the trend is accelerating, according to Gascón.
During 2020, LAPD recovered 813 ghost guns. During the first 11 months of 2021, the amount of ghost guns recovered more than doubled to 1,780, Gascón added.
Last August, the LAPD reported that ghost guns accounted for 33 percent of all guns it recovered in suspected criminal activity and during the first 10 months of 2021, the LAPD reported that ghost guns had been used in 24 murders, eight attempted murders, 60 assaults with deadly weapons, and 20 armed robberies.
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