opinion

Don't Stand Idly By: Help Us Stop Gun Violence

The NRA and GOP are at it again, pushing machine guns onto our streets. We must join the call to action against these weapons of war and their deadly conversion devices being peddled to our communities. It is time to fight for common sense gun control and keep our kids safe from the carnage. The threat is real, and we need your voice to stop this insanity fueled by greed and a diseased love of guns. Texas—act now!

Published June 10, 2024 at 6:01am by

A Half-Inch of Hazard: Texas' Terrifying 'Switch' Trend

A tiny, 3D-printed plastic piece is wreaking havoc in Texas – it's a machine gun conversion device, aptly named the "switch," and it transforms handguns into lethal, automatic weapons. In just a few hours, a regular Glock can become a weapon of mass destruction, firing rounds at an incredibly faster rate than the standard M-4 machine guns used by our military.

"We’ve seen a dramatic uptick in these switches on our streets. It's a urgent crisis, and we need to take action now."

These "switches" have left a trail of bloodshed across the state:

Dadeville, AL: A sweet sixteen party turned into a nightmare when four young lives were lost in a mass shooting, with the gunman using a switch-equipped handgun.
Cincinnati, OH: An innocent 11-year-old boy's life was brutally cut short in a drive-by shooting, again, by a gunman using this deadly device.
Houston, TX: Officer William Jeffrey was gunned down during a narcotics arrest, showcasing how these switches are also a serious threat to our law enforcement officers.

And if that wasn't harrowing enough, these devices have become a twisted status symbol, glorified by criminals on social media and in rap lyrics. We cannot stand idly by as these switches become a morbid trend.

The numbers speak for themselves: in just five years, the number of switches recovered by Texas law enforcement nearly sextupled. The ATF seized 991 switches between 2017 and 2023, with 490 of those in 2023 alone. That's a 50% increase in just one year.

Let's be clear: the National Firearms Act classifies switches as machine guns, and possession of such a device is illegal. Period. But some people are still getting away with it. The prosecution of these cases is key, and we've seen some successes:

Fort Worth: A man, boasting of printing over 400 switches a day, was sentenced to 7 years in prison.
Beaumont: An 8.5-year sentence was handed to a man who used a Glock with a switch to further his drug trafficking business.
San Antonio: Printing switches for AR-15s landed an anti-government extremist behind bars for over 8 years.
Houston: Three wounded police officers are lucky to be alive, and their attacker awaits trial, facing life imprisonment.

But we cannot rely solely on federal law enforcement. That's why we're proud to announce Operation Texas Kill Switch – an initiative to heighten awareness, encourage collaboration between state and local authorities, and increase prosecutions.

We're also enlisting the public's help, partnering with Crime Stopper programs to offer rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest or prosecution of anyone involved with these switches. Tipsters can remain anonymous and are encouraged to come forward.

We will not stand idly by as these switches fuel gun violence in our communities. We're taking action, and we urge all Texans to join us in this fight.

Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs, and Jaime Esparza
United States Attorneys for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas