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U.S. NEWS Friday 27 September 2024
Glock pistols are popular among criminals because they’re easily

modified, report says

By LEA SKENE with a 3D printer or ordered
Associated Press online.
BALTIMORE (AP) — Glock The report also found that
pistols are a popular choice recoveries of Polymer80
for people committing gun ghost guns untraceable,
crimes, in part because unassembled firearms that
they can be easily con- can be purchased online
verted into fully automatic increased nearly 1,200%
weapons using a small de- across 28 cities over the
vice, according to a new past five years. Those num-
report based on data from bers have started trending
nearly three dozen U.S. cit- downward following the
ies. implementation of a new
Often called Glock switch- federal rule and a wave
es or auto sears, the devic- of state legislation banning
es have received height- the weapons, according
ened attention in recent to the report. Polymer80,
years because they’re once a leading manufac-
increasingly turning up at turer of ghost guns in the
crime scenes. They effec- U.S., also shut down opera-
tively turn semiautomatic tions last month after a del-
weapons, which fire one uge of lawsuits.
bullet per trigger pull, into The city of Baltimore was
machine guns that can among those who filed suit.
spray continuous gunfire. A semi-automatic pistol with a conversion device installed making it fully automatic is fired as City officials announced a
Authorities believe the four empty shell casings fly out of the weapon, at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and settlement agreement in
shooters who killed four Explosives (ATF), National Services Center, Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Martinsburg, W.Va. February after the Nevada-
people and injured 17 Associated Press based company agreed to
others in Birmingham, Ala- guns. the lives of Americans has team compiled data from stop selling its products to
bama, last weekend were The report was released this to begin to outweigh the 34 U.S. cities about guns re- Maryland residents.
using conversion devices to week ahead of a confer- sanctity of American guns.” covered from crime scenes The city’s lawsuit accused
make their guns more pow- ence Thursday in Baltimore A spokesperson for Glock in 2023. “They’re basically Polymer80 of intentionally
erful. About 100 shell cas- hosted by Mayors Against didn’t respond to an email profiting off of pain,” said undermining federal and
ings were recovered from Illegal Guns, a group that seeking comment. John Feinblatt, president of state firearms laws by de-
the scene. falls under Everytown’s Scott and other mayors Everytown. “They’re priori- signing, manufacturing and
A report by the anti-vio- umbrella. The organization said while local elected of- tizing profits over safety.” providing gun assembly kits
lence organization Every- called on Glock and other ficials are often at the fore- Meanwhile, the preva- without serial numbers to
town for Gun Safety says weapons manufacturers to front of pushing for better lence of machine gun buyers who don’t undergo
criminals often choose take responsibility for their gun policies, Congress must conversion devices has in- background checks. It was
Glocks because they’re products and do more to also step up and address creased dramatically 570% filed the same day Mary-
relatively cheap and easy prevent violence. the issue. between 2017 and 2021, land’s statewide ban on
to operate and modify. But “We have to build that level Researchers found that according to the Bureau of ghost guns went into ef-
the brand is perhaps best of accountability for them four gun manufacturers Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms fect in 2022 following a law
known for its popularity as well,” Baltimore Mayor accounted for over 40% of and Explosives. The devices change that expanded
among law enforcement Brandon Scott said in an the recovered guns they are banned under federal the definition of a firearm
officers, who almost exclu- interview. “At some point, studied, with Glock alone law. Most are small pieces to include “an unfinished
sively carry Glock hand- as a country, the sanctity of accounting for 18%. The of metal or plastic made frame or receiver.”q

Biden signs temporary funding bill that

avoids a shutdown before the election

WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- add $231 million to bolster son, R-La., billed the mea-
dent Joe Biden on Thursday the Secret Service after the sure as doing “only what’s
signed a temporary gov- two assassination attempts absolutely necessary,”
ernment spending bill that against Republican presi- a statement directed at
keeps agencies operating dential nominee Donald members of his own con-
into December, after Con- Trump. Money was also ference concerned about
gress punted key spending added to aid with the presi- spending levels. Johnson
decisions until after the No- dential transition. said the only alternative to
vember election. The measure easily passed the continuing resolution at
The bill generally funds Congress on Wednesday this stage would have been President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr
agencies at current levels on a bipartisan basis, 341- a government shutdown. Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington,
Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024.
through Dec. 20, setting up 82 in the House and 78-18 The temporary measure Associated Press
the prospect of a govern- in the Senate, with Repub- was needed because
ment shutdown fight just licans supplying all the no Congress is nowhere close tions bills that fund much of the 12 bills, mostly along
before the holiday season. votes in both chambers. to completing work on the of the federal government. party lines. The Senate has
Lawmakers did agree to House Speaker Mike John- dozen annual appropria- The House has passed five passed zero.q