(Washington, DC) – Last week, Mayor Bowser announced that she was introducing emergency legislation to prohibit the possession, assembly, sale, and purchase of any type of ghost gun in the District. Today, after the Council unanimously passed the Ghost Guns Prohibition Emergency Act of 2020, Mayor Bowser released the following statement:

“By enacting this legislation we are sending a simple message: If you play a role in profiting from bloodshed in our community, you will be held accountable. We have seen an alarming increase in the number of ghost guns being used in DC, and we knew it was important to act quickly.

“I want to thank Councilmember Charles Allen and the entire Council for working quickly to introduce our bill and pass the Ghost Guns Prohibition Emergency Act of 2020. Additionally, I want to recognize the Giffords Law Center, Moms Demand Action, and Everytown for Gun Safety for their support of this legislation and for helping us craft a new law that can be a model for other cities dealing with these dangerous weapons. Only by working together can we get illegal guns off our streets and build safer neighborhoods. Any gun in the wrong hands is a danger to our community. Any person using an illegal gun in our neighborhoods is a danger to our community. Together, we have to rid our streets of guns and hold the people who are using them accountable.”