Undetectable “ghost guns” hit the streets of NYC in record numbers

The number of ghost guns recovered in New York City this year is up 75 percent from the previous year — breaking all previous records and accounting for nearly half of all untraceable firearms seized in the state, as reported by The post verified data.

So far, 356 ghost guns have been seized by the NYPD — 150 more than this time last year. In 2018, the NYPD confiscated just 17 ghost guns.

The untraceable weapons – which have no serial numbers and often come either 3-D printed or in parts that need to be assembled – have been used in at least two murders so far this year.

Yanel Henriquez had never heard of a ghost gun until April 8, when her 16-year-old daughter, Angellyh Yambo, was killed by a stray bullet fired from one while walking down East 156th Street in the South Bronx.

“I didn’t find out about spirit weapons until my daughter was killed,” Henriquez said. “We need to be familiar with the things that kill our children. The fact that we didn’t know and only found out because someone got killed is embarrassing. You must do something about it.

“My kid wasn’t a gang member, my kid wasn’t a bad girl, none of that,” Henriquez added. “Our kids go to school and we walk the streets and go to work, but now we don’t even know if they’re coming back.”

Jeremiah Ryan, 17, was arrested and charged with murder for allegedly pulling the trigger, which witnesses said he did during an argument with about four others.

Less than a month later, 31-year-old David Scott was killed by a ghost gun on May 2 at a smokehouse in the Bronx.

The NYPD – which does not prosecute ghost gun murders – arrested 25-year-old Edison Cruz for allegedly killing Scott and shooting two others, and charged him with murder.

Cruz, who was arrested for gun possession the previous year, was barred from legally owning a firearm because of his criminal record.

In response to the influx of untraceable guns, the city on June 29 filed federal lawsuits against five online ghost gun sellers, four of whom have reached agreements with the city to stop their “unlawful conduct,” the city hall spokesman said, Jonah Allon.

“Since taking office, Mayor Adams has taken aggressive measures to stem the flow of ghost guns into our city and to dam this river that feeds the sea of ​​violence,” Allon said, adding that the NYPD reported over 6,400 illegal guns that year confiscated contains spirit weapons.

The problem is statewide, where the number of ghost weapons recovered has increased by 40% — 730 have been recovered so far this year, compared to 528 over the same period in 2021 — according to the New York State Police, who called ghost weapons “one of them.” the fastest growing public safety problems.”

“They are attractive to criminals because they can be assembled in a matter of hours and are virtually untraceable,” New York State Police spokesman Beau Duffy said.

Last October, Governor Hochul signed legislation making it illegal to sell or possess a ghost weapon. The legislation also criminalized possession of unfinished gun parts that could be converted into a working firearm.

“We remain focused on working with our law enforcement partners to prevent the illegal trafficking of these weapons into New York,” Duffy said.