What is a 'ghost' gun? Behind the weapon used in the Bite of Seattle shooting

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:53:28 -0700

At a Tuesday news conference, Seattle police said they recovered a "ghost gun" along with two other guns at the scene of Sunday's deadly Bite of Seattle shooting.

According to Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes, the gun was a 9mm from Polymer80 that was equipped with an extended 33-round capacity magazine. Barnes said it possessed 19 rounds when officers confiscated it from a 15-year-old suspect.

Keep reading to learn more about ghost guns and how they are manufactured.

What is a ghost gun?

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a ghost gun, or privately made firearm (PMF), is a gun that has been "completed, assembled or otherwise produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer.

These types of guns are made without a serial number at the time of production and are called ghost guns because of how difficult they can be to track, which also increases the difficulty of completing a crime investigation that involves them.

The ATF says that PMFs can fall into 10 different categories, including: pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, frames or receivers, machine-gun conversion devices, destructive devices, machine guns, firearm silencers and "any other weapon."

However, the agency notes that not all PMFs are illegal and not all guns are required to have a serial number.

Legal vs. Illegal

The ATF states that individuals who make their own firearms may use a 3D printing process or any other process as long as the gun is "detectable."

To comply with the federal definition of detectability, the Gun Control Act states that the gun must be able to trigger a walk-through metal detector and can be seen by standard airport-style X-ray screening equipment.

Laws like the Undetectable Firearms Act also make it illegal to sell, deliver, or possess a gun that does not meet these standards.

This means that, under federal law, legal gun owners who make a PMF at home are not required to add a serial number to their firearm as long as they:

Only keep it for personal use, as any intent to sell or give the gun away classifies the firearm as illegal
And the firearm complies with the legal definition of "detectable."

Additionally, any PMF owned by someone who is not legally allowed to own a gun for any reason is considered illegal.

Also, destructive devices and machine gun conversion devices like Glock switches, which was found attached to one of the guns that were found by police following the Bite of Seattle shooting, are also illegal under federal law without proper licensing.

Washington laws vs. federal laws

As ghost guns have risen in popularity, some states have attempted to curb their production by installing their own laws that may differ from federal law.

Washington is one of those states, and in 2022, the state completely banned the manufacture, assembly, sale, and transport of untraceable guns and unfinished frames or receivers that lack serial numbers.

State lawmakers went even further this year by passing HB 2320, which bans the use of 3D printers and CNC milling machines to manufacture and assemble untraceable or undetectable guns at home, especially for those who are already barred from owning a gun.

The law also prohibits the sale, transfer or possession of digital firearm manufacturing codes or blueprints, unless they are being used by licensed federal firearms manufacturers or dealers.

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Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes downplays viral reporter clash

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:47:28 -0700

At a Tuesday news conference, Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes addressed a viral exchange with a reporter, which turned tense over questions about his frequent travel.

Barnes downplayed the incident, saying that he "wouldn't describe it as a heated exchange," before going on to say that he respects the media and their role in sharing information with the community.

What Barnes said at Tuesday's news conference

"I respect our media. I respect what you do. I consider you a big part of the community," Barnes said Tuesday. "I understand that your job is to ask tough questions."

He continued to say that he's passionate about his work as a police officer, which can sometimes be uncomfortable when the subject matter involves loss of life.

"Every time someone is killed, I get a phone call and a description of what happens," he explained. "And my process is the same. I listen, I question, sometimes get angry. I wonder what could have been done. What happened? What contributed to this loss of life? What can we do differently?'"

Barnes concluded by saying that he's moving the department's community response group over to investigations to assist with apprehension and gun violence detection in an effort to ensure accountability.

The viral confrontation

In a video posted to TikTok on Monday, Barnes is seen speaking with a reporter and can be heard saying, "I have been here working as hard as I can for this city from the day I got here, you got that?"

The reporter then says, "But there are reports saying that you are not in town often."

Barnes then bluntly states, "The reports are wrong, you understand?"

Before the reporter can ask a follow-up question, Barnes is pulled away by a member of his staff and walks away.

The sentiment that Barnes is not in town often has gained traction online after it was learned that he was not in Washington when the deadly shooting at Seattle Center occurred. Barnes was also not at Sunday night's press conference about the shooting.

At Monday's news conference, the police chief fielded questions on why it took multiple hours for the department to release any information about the shooting, which included knowledge that a suspect had not yet been detained.

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Latest & Breaking News | FOX 13 Seattle

What is a 'ghost' gun? Behind the weapon used in the Bite of Seattle shooting

What is a ghost gun?

Legal vs. Illegal

Washington laws vs. federal laws

MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes downplays viral reporter clash

What Barnes said at Tuesday's news conference

The viral confrontation

MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE