Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with murder in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, apparently had a ghost gun, a type of firearm that can be made at home, police said Monday.Mangione was detained on Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, nearly a week after Thompson was killed in New York City. Thompson was shot in the back and in the calf.”As of right now the information we’re getting from Altoona is that the gun appears to be a ghost gun, may have been made on a 3D printer, with the capability of firing a 9mm round,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday. “Obviously, that will come out during our ballistics testing.”Earlier in the investigation, a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation had told CBS News that police believed the suspect used a B&T Station SIX gun to carry out the shooting. Investigators visited gun dealers in Connecticut during their search. The gun used in the shooting had a long barrel and a distinctive look, CBS News’ Anna Schechter reported. In addition to the unusual gun, the words “delay,” “deny” and possibly “depose” appeared on shell casings and bullets recovered from the shooting scene, police said.What is a ghost gun?A privately made firearm, more commonly known as a ghost gun, is a firearm that has been assembled or completed by people other than licensed manufacturers, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
They’re made without a serial number, which can make them difficult to track. Not all ghost guns are illegal and not all firearms are required to have a serial number. Ghost guns can be pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, machineguns and more. From 2016 through 2021, there were more than 45,000 suspected ghost guns reported to the ATF as having been recovered by police from potential crime scenes. How do people usually make ghost guns?Ghost guns can be made using a 3D printer or assembled from a kit. The weapons can be produced for less than $200, though officials have put the average price at around $500, CBS News previously reported.In 2018, CBS News correspondent Carter Evans was able to purchase a kit for a gun similar to a Glock 9mm with no background check or waiting period. Kits online are available for everything from handguns to AR-15s and AK-47s.
“You can buy a box of firearms parts, and you can assemble those firearms together. And I’ve seen videos on YouTube, where you can see people doing it in record time — 20, 30 minutes,” Marvin Richardson, ATF acting director in 2022, has previously said.Are ghost guns illegal?Not all ghost guns are illegal. According to the ATF, individuals can make their own firearms using a 3D printing or other process if the gun is “detectable,” as defined in the Gun Control Act. It’s generally legal to make a firearm for personal use without a license, according to the ATF.Some states, including New York — where Thompson’s shooting happened — have additional laws related to ghost guns.What does a ghost gun look like?There are many types of ghost guns with a range of appearances. The ATF lists 10 categories of privately made firearms: pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, frame or receiver, machinegun conversion device, destructive device, machinegun, firearm silencer and any other weapon.
An ATF image of ghost gun types.
ATF
More from CBS News
Aliza Chasan
Aliza Chasan is a Digital Content Producer for “60 Minutes” and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics.
