Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced that Baltimore City has reached a significant settlement in its lawsuit against Polymer80, a major manufacturer of ghost gun kits in the United States.
The lawsuit aimed to address the proliferation of unserialized and largely untraceable firearms, known as ghost guns, which have ended up in the hands of convicted felons and minors due to Polymer80's false classification of its kits as "non-firearms."
As part of the settlement, Baltimore City will receive $1.2 million in damages from Polymer80. Moreover, the terms of the settlement permanently prohibit Polymer80 from advertising in Maryland or selling ghost guns to Maryland residents. Polymer80 must also prohibit its dealers in nearby states from selling ghost guns to Maryland residents, cease all customer support in Maryland, and provide quarterly reports to the City documenting all sales of ghost guns in neighboring states.
This settlement marks a significant victory in the effort to combat gun violence, with Mayor Scott emphasizing the importance of holding everyone accountable, from trigger-pullers to gun dealers and manufacturers. The settlement's strict terms set a precedent for jurisdictions across the country in addressing the issue of ghost guns.
Partnering with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Baltimore City brought this lawsuit in response to the alarming increase of ghost guns in the city, particularly among minors. The City's case against Hanover Armory, another defendant in the lawsuit, is scheduled for trial in October 2024.
"Nine out of ten homicides in Baltimore City are committed with guns," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "As I have promised, the City is using every tool at its disposal to address the epidemic of gun violence we face, and our comprehensive approach is finally seeing success in driving down violence. We must hold everyone who has a hand in this violence accountable, from those who choose to pull the trigger, all the way up to the gun dealers and manufacturers responsible for the flow of guns into our City. This settlement – and the statement it sends about the harmful impact of these ghost guns – is a critical victory for the effort to confront gun violence in our communities."
The ongoing seizure of ghost guns by the Baltimore Police Department underscores the continuing threat posed by these firearms, with 462 ghost guns seized in 2023 and 43 seized already in 2024, representing a 30% increase compared to the previous year at the same time. See the full press release on the Baltimore City website
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