The city of Baltimore has settled a lawsuit filed against ghost gun manufacturer Polymer80, Inc. arguing that its firearms fueled gun violence in the city, officials announced on Feb. 21.
So-called ghost guns are partially completed frames and kits that can be purchased and assembled into functional firearms.
As part of the settlement, Polymer80—the leading manufacturer of ghost gun kits in the United States—will pay the city $1.2 million in damages, officials said.
The gunmaker is also prevented from advertising in Maryland and from selling ghost guns to Maryland residents. It must also ban its dealers in nearby states from selling ghost guns to Maryland residents.
The manufacturer must cease all customer support in Maryland and provide quarterly reports to the city documenting all sales of ghost guns in neighboring states.
He added that the settlement will stanch the flow of weapons and force the company to contribute to “healing” the city of the “injuries and trauma” its products inflicted.
The city of Baltimore and Mayor Brandon Scott sued Nevada-based Polymer80 in June 2022 in partnership with the Brady Center.
City Police Recovering More Ghost Guns
Gun control groups have been trying to ban or regulate homemade guns for years, arguing that they pose a threat to the public because they don’t have serial numbers and therefore cannot be tracked by law enforcement officials.Baltimore, in its lawsuit, said city police recovered about 324 ghost guns in 2021, which amounted to 14 percent of all firearms recovered.
As of May 2022, roughly a month before the lawsuit was filed, law enforcement officials had recovered more than 187 ghost guns, nearly double the amount recovered in 2021 for the same period, according to the lawsuit.
Baltimore accused Polymer80 of intentionally undermining various state and federal firearms laws by designing, manufacturing, selling, and providing ghost gun kits and parts to buyers without requiring them to undergo background checks.
Officials further alleged that Polymer80’s primary markets consist of “people who want to evade law enforcement or who cannot obtain a gun from a federal firearms licensee, including underage buyers, buyers with criminal convictions, and gun traffickers.”
The lawsuit sought to hold Polymer80 accountable for the “harm it has caused in Baltimore” and stop the sale of ghost gun parts in the city. Officials also asked the court to award compensatory damages for “policing costs to the City of Baltimore and for the injuries and trauma inflicted on the city.”
That law also banned individuals from selling firearms that aren’t legally licensed.
‘Epidemic of Gun Violence’
In a separate statement announcing the settlement, Mr. Scott’s office said ghost guns “continue to be a prevalent source of gun violence in Baltimore City.”In 2023, the Baltimore Police Department seized 462 ghost guns, according to his office. Already in 2024, city police have seized 43 ghost guns, an increase of 30 percent compared with this time last year.
“Nine out of 10 homicides in Baltimore City are committed with guns,” Mr. Scott, a Democrat, said. “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.”
He added that the settlement sends a statement about the “harmful impact of these ghost guns” and is a “critical victory for the effort to confront gun violence in our communities.”
Polymer80 has been involved in similar litigation in other cities, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, in recent years.
The manufacturer currently states on its website that it “designs and develops innovative firearms and after-market accessories that provide ways” for its customers to “participate in the build process, while expressing their right to bear arms.”
“Please be advised that different states, localities, and jurisdictions have different laws regarding the types of products sold by Polymer80, and such products may be unlawful in certain places,” the website states.
“By using this website, or using or purchasing a Polymer80 product, you affirm that you have verified that you may possess, purchase, and use Polymer80 products under all applicable federal, state, and local laws.”
The Epoch Times contacted Polymer80 for comment but received none by press time.
