SAN DIEGO — Having a ghost gun is now illegal in the city of San Diego. The city's ghost gun ordinance took effect Saturday banning San Diegans from owning, purchasing, and transporting firearms without serial numbers.
Marni Von Wilpert said an incident in April where a man shot and killed one person and injured four at the Gaslamp District is the reason she authored this law.
"It’s intended to stop people at the source," said Von Wilpert - the San Diego City Councilmember for District 5.
"We've seen a rise in crime in our communities perpetrated by people with these guns," said Von Wilpert.
She authored and introduced the ENUF ordinance which was approved by the city council on Sept. 14 then signed into law on Sept. 30 by Mayor Todd Gloria.
Saturday the ban went into effect which Von Wilper said is important for the city.
"[Police have] seen over a 169% increase. They are confiscating on the street double the number from last year. We’re seeing our rising gun violence in our communities more and more often these crimes are committed by people with ghost guns," said Von Wilpert.
Those opposing this ban include the San Diego County Gun Club which released the following statement:
“Today San Diego City residents have been forced to rid themselves of their lawfully acquired personal property due to an unconstitutional ordinance that will do nothing to protect the public.”
San Diego police say in 2019 they seized 36 non serialized guns; 70 in 2020 and 133 through July of 2021.
Von Wilpert said SDPD created a “ghost guns specialized team” to pinpoint where these parts are coming from.
"People who are prohibited from lawfully owning a gun, such as people who have violent felonies, or people with domestic violence abuse records, or people with mental illness, or people in gangs will assemble quite a few of them, [have] dozens of them in a home and sell them to prohibited buyers on social media," said Von Wilpert.
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