New York to tighten crackdown on 3D-printed weapons

Against the backdrop of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and other incidents of violence involving 3D-printed weapons, the state of New York is intensifying its crackdown on 3D-printed weapons and so-called ghost guns. Governor Kathy Hochul announced a package of new, nationwide-unique measures as part of her 2026 State of the State agenda, aimed at responding to the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms and their unlawful possession.

One of the backgrounds is the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. The alleged perpetrator is said to have used a 3D-printed weapon and a homemade silencer. The case had intensified the political debate surrounding freely available blueprints and domestic arms production.

In the future, New York intends to criminalize the unlicensed manufacture of 3D-printed weapons, as well as the possession, sale, and transfer of corresponding digital blueprints (CAD files). Furthermore, all 3D-printed weapons seized by police and authorities will be mandatorily reported to a central police database.

This marks the first time in the USA that manufacturers of 3D printers are planned to be regulated: the devices are to be equipped with technology that blocks the printing of weapons and essential weapon parts. Additionally, weapon manufacturers will be required to design pistols in such a way that they cannot be converted into fully automatic weapons with simple add-on parts or modifications. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who had previously urged 3D printing companies to remove weapon blueprints from the internet, welcomed the plans.

While ghost guns cannot be completely prevented this way, Bragg stated, the goal is to make access to blueprints more difficult and to curb the spread of illegal weapons. According to the governor, the new measures are intended to help further reduce the recent sharp decline in firearm offenses in New York, even in the face of new technological developments.

As early as 2022, the US government had attempted at the federal level to curb the spread of so-called ghost guns by expanding the legal definition of firearms and also subjecting kits and essential individual parts to serial numbers and background checks. The aim was to better control privately manufactured and untraceable weapons. Despite this new regulation, the number of illegal, self-built firearms continued to increase in the following years.

The planned tightening of regulations therefore targets not only individual criminal offenses but also a growing scene in which increasingly sophisticated blueprints for functional firearms and accessories are in circulation. A frequently cited example is the 3D-printed design known as “Urutau,” which, according to GNET, is considered a particularly powerful weapon or accessory model that can be manufactured entirely at home. This shows how low the hurdles have become to obtain operational, illegal weapons without registration, serial numbers, or background checks.

(mack)