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San Diego Teen Arrested at School With Loaded Gun Linked to 3D-Printed Ghost Weapons

The case underscores how 3D printers can speed homemade gunmaking that reaches school campuses.

Overview

  • Police arrested a 16-year-old at Garfield High after obtaining a warrant with help from county partners, finding a loaded handgun hidden in his pants during a calm, on-campus detention.
  • A search of the teen’s home turned up a 3D printer, carbon filament, four 3D-printed handgun frames, machine gun conversion devices, ammunition, and other gun parts.
  • Investigators say the student had been supplying firearms to others and is also suspected in a recent robbery at a trolley station.
  • The teen is held in juvenile detention on counts that include robbery, illegal gun possession, and gun manufacturing, while the district moves to expel him under mandatory policy.
  • Police describe the seized parts as ghost gun components, which lack serial numbers and can be made at home with consumer 3D printers, a growing challenge for schools and law enforcement.