19 Jan Battle Born Progress Statement on annual SHOT Show Supporting Ghost Gun Dealers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JANUARY, 19 2022
PRESS CONTACT: Will Pregman, wpregman@battlebornprogress.org, 702.752.0656
Battle Born Progress Statement on annual SHOT Show Supporting Ghost Gun Dealers
LAS VEGAS, NV – This week, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) returns to the Las Vegas strip, ground zero of the worst mass shooting in modern US history, for its annual SHOT Show. The show will once again feature multiple manufacturers and sellers of ghost guns and other harmful weapons. Ghost guns are unserialized firearms sold online, at gun shows, and in licensed firearm stores. These companies include Polymer80, based in Dayton, NV, who have been the subject of controversy, policy changes, and lawsuits concerning their selling of ghost guns and gun parts. Even the Mall of America alleged shooter had a Polymer80 handgun with him at the time of his arrest.
“The annual SHOT show is an unwelcome reminder of the persistent threat of gun violence that affects communities in Nevada and nationwide, and the casual dismissiveness with which it is treated,” said Annette Magnus, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress. “This year, in particular, ghost gun manufacturer Polymer80 joins as a prominent guest vendor (number 10030) in spite of state efforts to remove these dangerous weapons from our backyard. During the Nevada Senate hearing for Assembly Bill 286 (AB286), a bill to ban ghost guns in Nevada, Michael Findlay, a representative of the NSSF, testified in opposition. He stated, ‘we question whether section 6 would affect the pre and post-production process of our manufacturers and the way we display products at our show.’ The focus of these words are telling; instead of supporting common sense policies, like banning these untraceable firearms, their focus is on profiting from the sale of guns used in violent crime, regardless of the cost to our community’s safety.”
“In contrast, we are committed to supporting gun violence prevention policies so we do not continue seeing tragedy after tragedy. States and communities across the country, like ours, are working to ban ghost guns as they are more commonly being recovered at crime scenes. In 2020 alone, the murder rate climbed more than 27%, with availability of firearms being cited as a major contributing factor. We remain committed to serious gun violence prevention policy at the local, state, and federal levels that prioritize safety and human lives over the profit margins of gun dealers. Responsible gun owners ought to have no need to circumvent the background check process by purchasing ghost guns. The SHOT Show is simply out of touch with our community.”
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About Battle Born Progress: Battle Born Progress, through strategic communication efforts, empowers, engages and mobilizes Nevada voters to build a state where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. We support, engage, and mobilize the progressive community through bold leadership, strategic communications, accountability, and education. We are on the cutting edge of new media and are the go-to source for progressive issues and advocacy for traditional media. Learn more at https://battlebornprogress.org/.