PD Editorial: Keep ghost gun parts away from dangerous Californians

When someone is a danger to themselves or others, California takes away their guns. At least it takes away regular guns. So-called “ghost guns” remain in the hands of dangerous individuals. The state Legislature should close the loophole that allows that happen.

Under the state’s “red flag” law, family members, teachers, law enforcement, co-workers and employers can ask a judge to temporarily restrict gun access for anyone shown to be a threat to themselves or others.

So, if someone might commit suicide or harm a spouse, for example, a judge could issue a no-guns order. Then law enforcement would confiscate firearms, and if the person tries to buy a new gun, the no-guns order would turn up in the mandatory background check. That protects people in crisis and their potential victims. Once things have settled down and if the person may legally own them, the guns are returned.

The problem is that the law doesn’t cover parts that people can assemble into ghost guns. People can order the parts online or buy them at a gun show and build functioning firearms. Probably no one thought that the do-it-yourself movement would so quickly shift into guns when the red flag law was enacted following a mass shooting near Santa Barbara in 2014. Because the pieces that go into making a ghost gun aren’t actually a firearm until they are assembled, police cannot confiscate them under a red flag order.

A man who killed five people at a Tehama County school in 2017 was under a red flag order, but he was still able to make his own rifles at home.

The weapons are called “ghost guns” because they usually don’t have a serial number, making them untraceable.

Assembly Bill 1057 would update the red flag law to cover key parts for ghost guns. People of all political persuasions, no matter where they fall on gun rights, should be able to support that. No one wants guns in the hands of people who might harm themselves or others.

Santa Rosa Police Chief Ray Navarro knows well the dangers of ghost guns. “Most of the guns that we’re taking off the street seem to be the unserialized (kind) that are known as ghost guns,” the chief recently told The Press Democrat editorial board. “Those are very, very prevalent right now.”

Two more ghost guns were seized overnight Thursday, Santa Rosa police announced on Friday.

The good news is that state law regarding sales of gun parts will catch up next year. People making homemade guns are supposed to obtain a serial number from the state Department of Justice and apply it to the gun. That usually doesn’t happen, so starting next year anyone selling parts to make a gun will be required to use the state’s background check system, as is already required for the sale of a handgun or long gun.

That can’t happen soon enough.

But the loophole for red flag orders will remain until AB 1057 becomes law. The Assembly has passed it, but it’s been kicking around Senate committees for a couple of months. This isn’t a bill that should be left to the last minute when it might fail to pass in the hectic legislative maneuvering at the end of the session.

If it does, the next time someone with a red flag order assembles a ghost gun and shoots themselves or someone else, Californians will rightly ask why lawmakers failed to act.

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.