Brown applauds closure of ghost gun manufacturer Polymer80
Rep. Amen Brown September 3, 2024 | 11:24 AM
State Rep. Amen Brown, D-Phila., a long-standing opponent against ghost guns and the companies who manufacture them, said he applauds the closure of Polymer80, previously the largest manufacturer of untraceable “ghost gun” kits.
According to Brown, ghost gun kits contain gun parts that allow anyone to build their own untraceable firearm.
“Ghost guns have no serial numbers or identifying information by which law enforcement can trace the weapon back to its owner,” Brown said. “These firearms have posed significant challenges when combatting gun violence, leaving them in the hands of criminals without any accountability.”
Brown elaborated that while gun kits have been available for a long time, the mass manufacturing of the kits by companies like Polymer80 strongly appeals to career criminals who evade arrest due to the guns being untraceable.
“This is a huge win for Philadelphia,” Brown said. “I’ve fought against these companies and firearm dealers since I was elected in January 2021 – it feels great to know that work isn’t in vain, and many lives will be saved.”
In 2021, Brown’s first major achievement in the Pennsylvania State House, was an agreement with Eagle Arms, which was Pennsylvania’s largest gun show promoter, to halt the sale of 80% of ghost gun kits. In 2022, Brown introduced legislation to require all attendees at Pennsylvania gun shows to provide ID prior to entry and enhance record keeping of operators.
“While I’m happy to see that we’re making progress to stop untraceable ghost guns from infiltrating our communities, we still need to work with all levels of law enforcement and government to rid our streets of thousands of ghost guns that already exist and wreak havoc on our city,” Brown added.