Everytown to Convene Policymakers, Law Enforcement, Academics, Private Sector Leaders at Summit to Tackle Dangers of 3D-Printed Firearms Amidst Increase in Recoveries

New Everytown Analysis Found 1,000% Surge in 3D-Printed Firearm Recoveries Across 20 Major Cities 

Manhattan District Attorney Bragg Calls On 3D-Printing Companies To Address Proliferation Of Illegal Firearms

NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund is hosting the first 3D-Printed Firearms Summit at Cornell Tech in New York City today, convening leaders across policy, law enforcement, academia, and the 3D-printing industry to build cross-sector collaboration and chart actionable strategies to stem the tide of 3D-printed firearm (3DPF) related violence before it grows further out of control.

A new analysis released by Everytown confirms that the proliferation of 3DPFs has rapidly become a serious and escalating public safety challenge. Based on recovery data from twenty U.S. cities submitted exclusively to Everytown, the analysis found a 1,000% increase in 3DPF recoveries in just five years – from a few dozen in 2020 to hundreds in 2024. 

“We’re at the start of a new public safety crisis and there is no time to waste,” said Nick Suplina, SVP of Law & Policy at Everytown for Gun Safety. “We’re grateful for the collaboration of today’s Summit participants, who refuse to accept a dangerous world in which children, criminals, gun traffickers, and violent extremists can easily circumvent laws and law enforcement by 3D-printing fully functional guns in secret.”

“3D-printed firearms are the new frontier in the fight against gun violence,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. “This area of technology is rapidly changing, and it is imperative law enforcement remain ahead of the curve so we can keep our communities safe. Over the past several months my office has prioritized addressing the proliferation of 3D-printed weapons through enforcement, partnering with the private sector, and proposing new legislation to close loopholes in our gun laws. I thank Everytown for its leadership on this issue and look forward to continuing to collaborate on this matter with the stakeholders assembled today.”

Just yesterday, D.A. Bragg released a letter to 3D-printing giant Flashforge, calling on the company to install in its printers an available 3D-printing software program which detects the shapes of common gun parts and blocks their printing. D.A. Bragg has sent similar letters to other leading consumer brands in the past months. Since a previous letter was sent by the D.A. to Creality, the company has already taken proactive steps to prohibit the uploading of firearms files to its cloud. Read more here.

Led by Everytown experts, today’s Summit will unite participants to share data, align on emerging policy priorities, and explore technological and policy solutions to this fast-moving threat. The day-long convening will feature law enforcement presentations on the scope of the threat, an overview from Everytown on technical challenges and potential interventions, a live technical demonstration by private sector partners, and a concluding discussion on how the corporate sector and policymakers can act decisively to address this issue before it escalates even further.

Over the last decade, ghost gun kits have become the fastest-growing gun safety threat to our communities – halted only by a series of lawsuits which spurred ATF regulation in 2022. When one criminal window closes, another opens, and we’ve already seen a marked increase in 3D-printed gun recoveries at crime scenes.

The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson using a homemade firearm with a 3D-printed frame and silencer marked the first time many in the general public heard about 3D-printed guns. But this was not the first instance of criminal violence with this type of firearm, and as 3D-printing technology becomes more affordable, accessible, and advanced, it will not be the last.

Everytown recently launched its 3D-Printed Guns Initiative, a cross-disciplinary effort to confront this threat head-on. The initiative brings together leaders in technology, engineering, law, legislation, law enforcement, and academia to support technological solutions and craft effective policy. This initiative kicked off publicly in July 2025 with the release of a white paper entitled, “Printing Violence: Urgent Policy Actions Are Needed to Combat 3D-Printed Guns.”

Per the white paper, the current state of 3D-printing technology allows an individual to print all or key parts of a firearm at home. Like other kinds of ghost guns, 3DPFs lack serial numbers, so law enforcement is unable to trace them back to their owner when they are recovered in a crime. Because 3DPFs are untraceable and require no background check, they are particularly attractive to gun traffickers who can print dozens of firearms and avoid raising alarms. 3DPFs have been linked to violent crimes, including everything from extremist plots to shootings involving teens.

The paper recommends lawmakers take aggressive action to regulate and prohibit printing of 3DPFs, prohibit the distribution of 3DPF blueprints, and make it impossible to print 3DPFs by targeting the 3D printing process itself.

To speak with an expert from Everytown, please contact [email protected].