ST. LOUIS — A firearm modification is making St. Louis streets more dangerous according to federal prosecutors and law enforcement.
Glock or Lightning switches turns a semi-automatic handgun fully automatic.
"If you are shooting someone with 50 round drum, you may not be accurate but instead of hitting them two or three times you hit them 12 times," Interim St. Louis Metropolitan Police (SLMPD) Chief Michael Sack said. "Every shooting is a potential homicide. These things are dangerous to our officers because of the rate of fire of the weapon. They are also dangerous to the neighborhood because of their inaccuracy."
SLMPD officers are pulling more modified guns off of the streets every year.
2019 - 1
2020 - 1
2021 - 4
2022 - 27
2023 - 3 (on pace for 150 this year)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said the off-market gun modifications are being created by independent sellers overseas with 3D printers, not gun manufactures.
Federal prosecutors said there is a heavy punishment for anyone caught with a Glock or Lightning switch.
"They will be looking at a mandatory minimum, that's not less than 30 years in prison," U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming said. "Let me add that's consecutive to any other sentence you may receive."
Law enforcement said this is a growing nationwide issue. This past fall, they arrested eight people in Southeast Missouri allegedly connected to the distribution to the deadly modifications.
If you have any information about Glock or Lightning switches you are urged to reach out to the ATF (1-888-283-2662) or reach out to local law enforcement.
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