Suit notes that ghost guns represented over 40% of firearms recovered in Los Angeles area crime scene investigations.
On August 9, 2021, Claudia Apolinar and Emmanuel Perez sued the largest manufacturer of ghost guns, Polymer80, for its role in facilitating a market for kits and components of firearms over the internet. These weapons are available to anyone with a credit card and an address–even to those who would be prohibited from possessing a firearm. Here, a man prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his multiple prior felony convictions obtained a Polymer80 firearm and used it to ambush these two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies as they sat in their police car.
Plaintiffs allege that Polymer80’s business and marketing practices negligently resulted in a prohibited user obtaining one of its weapons for use in the ambush against them. They further allege that Polymer80’s business practices have created a public nuisance–a market for prohibited users to obtain firearms kits and use them in crimes. This threatens the safety and well-being of their community.
In the attack, both survivors sustained multiple gunshot wounds and are recovering, but have not yet been cleared to return to duty.