Authorities sound alarms over illegally-modified machine guns

Law enforcement concerned by rise in illegal machine guns on the streets

Criminals are using simple devices to turn handguns into illegal machine guns, and it is a problem impacting Snohomish, Pierce and King Counties.

SEATTLE - Criminals are using simple devices to turn handguns into illegal machine guns, and it is a problem impacting Snohomish, Pierce and King Counties.

Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms say they are seeing an increasing number of these illegal and deadly modifications hitting our streets.

The devices are called either "Glock switches" for handguns, or "auto sears" for rifles. Both devices do the same thing — they make guns fully automatic, officials with the ATF say.

Western Washington has seen several incidents where these illegal modifications were used.

In Sept. 2023, Seattle Police arrested a 19-year-old man for randomly targeting two people in an armed robbery. Police said the teen was in possession of a modified fully automatic gun.

That same month, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a 20-year-old for a road rage shooting. That suspect also was in possession of an illegally modified fully automatic hand gun.

Just this month, Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputies said they arrested a 21-year-old suspect armed with a gun that had a Glock switch.

"Law enforcement is recovering these Glock switches in an increasing rate; day by day, year by year," said ATF Special Agent In Charge, Jonathan Blais.

With these modifications, a handgun with an extended magazine can shoot 20 or more rounds in less than two seconds.

Investigators say one of the biggest concerns is that suspects are getting younger and younger.

In late July, Seattle Police arrested two 14-year-olds and a 13-year-old for possession of guns with a Glock switch.

Unless federally licensed and registered, these modifications are illegal. Anyone caught with them could face up to 10 years in federal prison, but that is not stopping criminals from getting their hands on these altered guns.

"It’s dangerous out there right now, with these individuals possessing these devices, and they can easily find these devices anywhere: on the internet, through sources, they are being made overseas and imported, they are being made here locally with the prevalence of 3D printing," said Blais.

Investigators ask the community to help keep people safe by reporting any concerns of illegal machine guns to local law enforcement.