San Francisco District Attorney sues ghost gun makers

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against three "ghost gun" manufacturers, a ground-breaking move targeting unregulated weapons.

"Guns are flooding our streets. Enough is enough. We must take action," said Boudin, flanked by community advocates outside his office. "Today we take a bold step towards protecting San Franciscans by getting dangerous guns off the streets." 

Boudin said ghost gun makers don't follow usual firearms sales regulations. There are no background checks. Ghost guns don't have serial numbers. 

The California ghost gun manufacturers being sued in San Francisco Superior Court are Blackhawk Manufacturing Group, GS Performance and MDX Corp. The companies did not respond to requests for comment.

Boudin said the companies are "three separate manufacturers that are flooding our streets with illegal firearms, with firearms that we know are being used to harm, to maim and to kill."

Joining in the lawsuit is law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters. Attorney Brook Dooley showed how easy a ghost gun could be delivered by mail and then put together from a kit.

Inspector eric tejada of the district attorney's office was able to assemble an operational Glock 19-style handgun in about half an hour," and then fire the gun, Dooley said.

The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence is also a plaintiff in the case. 

"They've made it possible for anyone in the state to buy all the parts needed to build an untraceable firearm, no questions asked, and get it shipped in a convenient package with tools and instructions, like a piece of IKEA furniture," said Hannah Shearer, a Giffords attorney.

Boudin said, "They're harming our communities. They're taking innocent lives. They're putting law enforcement officers at risk. And it's an epidemic that we know is disproportionately impacting communities of color."

Anti-violence advocate Rudy Corpuz of United Playaz made clear he's not against the 2nd Amendment, just illegal ghost guns.

"When you talk about bullets have no names, now you're talking about guns that have no trace," Corpuz said. "You can't just brand the criminals - that's a part of their uniform. What about the manufacturers that's having these guns built, built on profit, not on people's lives?"