HONOLULU (KHON2) — Maui police said the tragic killing of Officer O by a convicted felon with a ghost gun is sparking outrage.
So, how are criminals getting these untraceable weapons and are there any solutions?
The fatal shooting of Officer Suzanne O is putting a spotlight on felons accessing illegal firearms or untraceable ghost guns.
Maui police said the weapon used was most likely a ghost gun and ordered in parts online — their chief is demanding action.
“If you’re an ex-felon, you should not have access to firearms,” Chief John Pelletier said.
Hawaii law bans felons from possessing firearms, with a 10-year minimum sentence for using one in the commission of another felony, and that jumps to a minimum of 15 years if convicted of murder.
“People should be in fear of the criminal justice process. Probation or light sentences is absolutely ridiculous. That’s wrong,” Pelletier said.
Chief John Pelletier is pushing for stricter laws to stop felons from accessing these weapons –especially ghost guns that are shipped in parts. Legal experts said tracking them is a difficult problem. Former prosecutor and current defense attorney Megan Kau said it is not like drug sting operations.
“We don’t have the same thing for firearms. We don’t have any task force of law enforcement going and finding the low-end buyers of guns so that they can get to the top of the totem pole,” Kau said. “Whether they’re ghost guns or illegal guns, so, the task force would be able to address both ghost guns and just illegal guns that are unregistered,” she said.
Chief Pelletier said the system is failing when felons can still get their hands on these weapons.
“So, when we’re not doing things — even after you’ve had a trial and a conviction and you’re prohibited — the fact that you can acquire something, that’s not ok,” he said.
Others said a different approach — rather than a different law — is what is needed.
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“You can make it 20 years, you can make it a hundred years, and they’re still going to continue out of desperation to break the law,” Kau said. “Maybe in light of Officer O being shot, some of the police departments will start a gun task force specifically designed to search out and find ghost guns.”