AMERICA’S RAMPANT GUN EPIDEMIC: HOW 3D PRINTERS ARE ONLY ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE

The assassination of the United Healthcare CEO in December of 2024 captivated national attention, specifically over the killer’s use of a homemade three dimensional (“3D”) printed gun. The use of 3D printing poses a breadth of opportunity for useful and valuable innovation across a variety of fields, such as allowing advancements in medical technology. However, with technology expansion comes associated risk and, in this case, that risk is the potential for increased presence of illegal firearms. Anyone with access to a 3D printer can download the necessary files and print weapon parts to create their own unregistered, untraceable firearms, including machine guns. The absence of laws governing the capabilities and usage of 3D printers in the context of home manufactured illegal firearms can exacerbate our national gun violence epidemic. This Note explores how federal regulation could help ameliorate the risks associated with this increasingly accessible and inexpensive means of creating illegal firearms. Specifically, it proposes how one possible uniform regulation has the potential to disrupt the deadly exploitation of 3D printing technology. The United surpasses any other developed country in the sheer volume of gun violence. 3D printing technology essentially pours gasoline on already rampant flames, creating another access point for those wanting to create or obtain illegal firearms.