Amen Brown (Photo from pahouse.com).

Amen Brown, a first-term lawmaker representing Philadelphia’s 190th Legislative District, which includes several West Philly neighborhoods, joined Attorney General Josh Shapiro this week to announce an historic agreement with the state’s largest gun show promoter, Eagle Arms, to ban sales of “ghost gun” kits at its shows. Brown reached out to the Eagle Arms owner and explained the devastation these kits were doing to the West Philadelphia communities he represents and communities across the city and the state.

“Ghost guns,” also known as “80 percent receivers,” are partially manufactured firearms that can be fairly easily fashioned into working guns. They typically have no commercial serial numbers. Nearly 250 ghost guns were recovered in Philadelphia last year.

Here’s Brown’s letter to the community:

ACTION FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES
by Rep. Amen Brown

This week I announced a historic agreement between Pennsylvania’s largest gun show promoter Eagle Arms Productions, the Attorney General’s office, and other community partners to take concrete steps to make Pennsylvania, and our communities in Philadelphia, safer.

This voluntary agreement was a moral decision made by the gun show promoter and not a legislative action. While it respects the legal and guaranteed right to bear arms and purchase a 80 percent frame kit – or “ghost gun” – the agreement to ban them at Eagle Arms gun shows will make it harder for criminals to do so.

Some people are taking advantage of a loophole in the law that does not require background checks when purchasing frame kits at gun shows, completing the gun to make it functional and then selling it (for double the price of purchase) to people who are not able to legally obtain a firearm for various reasons.

The 18th District Philadelphia Police Captain shared with our office that there have been 35 Violation of Uniform Firearms Act (VUFA) arrests made in 2021 so far, with 20% of those arrests involving “ghost guns,” or completed 80% frame kits. This is a 51% increase from the previous year to date numbers. Please note, this is just one of the 21 Police Districts in Philadelphia.

Especially in Philadelphia and larger cities around PA, a criminal’s open access to illegal guns is a real issue. My neighbors, friends, family, and community members are SCARED for their lives, SCARED to walk down the street, SCARED for their children to play in the streets.

Without infringing upon Second Amendment rights of our citizens to own guns for their own protection, the decision to stop these kit sales means those who refuse to complete an appropriate background check now cannot buy a “ghost gun.”

Those who wish to purchase a kit legally may still do so online or at a licensed gun shop, after completing the appropriate background check. The decision to stop selling this type of gun kit at most shows in Pennsylvania will decrease criminals’ ability to buy and sell large numbers of them without traceability.

Our collaborative action is an example of cooperation and understanding and shows that there is room for bipartisanship and work with partners from across the political spectrum. We must continue to come together and do the right thing every day. The epidemic of gun violence has ravaged our communities for too long. Enough.

This takes us a step closer to healing and feeling safer – and I will do everything in my power to continue this progress.