A Half-Inch Piece of Plastic is Making Texas Deadlier Than Ever

A tiny machine gun conversion device, or "switch," is transforming Texas' gun culture and making it deadlier. These switches turn regular handguns into fully automatic weapons, with a simple 3D-printed device slotted into the gun's butt. The result? A gun that fires faster than a standard M-4 machine gun, emitting a menacing, constant thrum.

Switches have been linked to a number of homicides, including a mass shooting at a sweet sixteen party in Dadeville, AL, a drive-by shooting in Cincinnati, OH, and a law enforcement shooting in Houston, TX.

The Scary Truth

• These devices have gained infamy, especially among juveniles, with criminals bragging on social media and even rapping about them.
• In five years, law enforcement saw a near six-fold increase in switches seized—991 in Texas alone since 2017, with 490 in 2023.
• Possession of a switch is illegal and carries up to 10 years in prison.
• Several cases have been prosecuted, with sentences ranging from 7 to 8+ years in federal prison.
• A Houston case, pending trial, could see a man imprisoned for life for shooting three officers with a switch-equipped gun.

Operation Texas Kill Switch

Texas US Attorneys are launching this initiative to:

• Heighten awareness and increase prosecution of those making, selling, or possessing switches.
• Aid state/local law enforcement in ID'ing switches and collaborating on cases.
• Urge the public to report switch possession via Crime Stopper programs (rewards up to $5,000 until Aug. 31).
• Tips can be anonymous: call **TIPS or submit online via Crime Stoppers.

By Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs and Jaime Esparza, US Attorneys for Texas' Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts