Vice Chair Stephanie proposes ordinance to ban ghost guns in San Francisco

Gun violence took center stage at the San Francisco County government meeting, with Vice Chair Stephanie leading a passionate discussion on the urgent need to combat the rising epidemic of ghost guns. These untraceable firearms, often assembled from kits sold online or at gun shows, have become a significant concern for public safety, with ghost gun seizures in San Francisco skyrocketing by over 2700% from 2016 to 2020.

Vice Chair Stephanie opened the meeting by sharing her distress over a recent shooting in her district, emphasizing the alarming frequency of such incidents. She introduced a proposed ordinance aimed at banning the sale and possession of unserialized ghost gun kits in San Francisco. Currently, California law allows the sale of these kits without serial numbers, creating a loophole that enables individuals, including minors, to acquire firearms without background checks or age restrictions.

The statistics presented were staggering: in 2020, ghost guns accounted for 16% of all firearms seized in San Francisco, a dramatic increase from less than 1% in 2016. The San Francisco Police Department reported a 95% increase in shooting victims in 2021 compared to the previous year, highlighting the direct correlation between the rise of ghost guns and gun violence in the city.

Ruth Borenstein from Brady United echoed these concerns, stressing that ghost guns are increasingly the weapon of choice for those prohibited from legally purchasing firearms. She called for immediate local action, noting that while California has historically led in gun violence prevention laws, it has lagged in addressing the ghost gun crisis.

The meeting featured a demonstration by Stephen Lindley, who showcased how easily a ghost gun can be assembled from a kit, underscoring the accessibility of these firearms to individuals who may pose a danger to themselves or others. He highlighted that the components are designed to evade regulations, making it alarmingly simple for anyone to create a functional firearm.

As the meeting concluded, the urgency for action was palpable. Vice Chair Stephanie and other advocates are pushing for a network of ghost gun bans across California, aiming to create a unified front against this growing threat. The proposed ordinance represents a critical step in addressing the gun violence epidemic that continues to devastate communities in San Francisco and beyond.