Illinois bans 'ghost guns,' becoming first Midwestern state to do so

CHICAGO - The sale and possession of "ghost guns" in Illinois became illegal Wednesday after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill aimed at eliminating the unserialized firearms.Ghost guns are homemade weapons that are untraceable and don't need a background check to be acquired.

They can be purchased online and can be assembled in just 15 minutes."The people creating, selling, and purchasing these firearms know that they’re working to circumvent common-sense gun laws that ensure guns stay out of the hands of traffickers, abusers, and convicted criminals," Pritzker said. "We are seeing these unseralized guns being built in basements by those who should never have had access to such dangerous weapons and then used to commit heinous crimes, and it must be stopped to keep Illinoisans safe."Gov.

J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law Wednesday making "ghost guns" illegal in Illinois.DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 NEWS APPThe legislation comes after President Joe Biden issued an executive order in April requiring serial numbers on the guns, and background checks for those who buy them."Ghost guns" are turning up in the Chicago area in record numbers, so Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is applauding President Biden’s actions and also highlighting new ghost gun legislation that passed in Springfield just days ago.Illinois State Police reported 28 cases involving ghost guns in May alone."Gov.

Pritzker understands the urgent need for this law, which we pushed for to address the proliferation of these guns that criminals increasingly use to avoid accountability for the violence they inflict upon our communities," Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said.Chicago police took more than 400 ghost guns off the street last year, according to the bill's chief.