On May 18, 2025, law enforcement officers in Burien, Washington, apprehended a known gang member found in possession of a fully loaded ghost gun—a privately assembled and untraceable firearm—during a routine patrol of Puget Sound Park. The arrest was part of the Burien Police Department’s ongoing initiative to reduce gang violence and illegal firearm circulation in the community.
According to official reports, deputies conducting an area check at the park encountered the suspect and, following probable cause, conducted a search that led to the discovery of the firearm. The weapon, lacking a serial number, qualifies as a “ghost gun,” which is a major concern for law enforcement agencies across the United States due to its unregulated nature and ease of access. After the arrest, the firearm was tested and confirmed to be fully operational.
Ghost guns, typically assembled from kits or 3D-printed components, have become increasingly popular among criminals because they bypass traditional background checks and are nearly impossible to trace. Their use has been linked to a rising number of crimes across the country, including in King County, where local law enforcement has seized several such weapons over the past year. This incident underscores a growing trend that police agencies are scrambling to address, particularly as gang-affiliated individuals continue to arm themselves with these unregulated weapons.
Earlier in 2025, King County law enforcement conducted a major operation resulting in the seizure of more than $1 million worth of illegal drugs, including fentanyl pills, along with several firearms—one of which was also a ghost gun. While such busts provide short-term relief, officials stress that they only temporarily disrupt criminal operations, given the extensive network and reach of organized crime and drug trafficking organizations.
The Burien Police Department, operating in collaboration with the King County Sheriff’s Office, remains committed to tackling the influx of ghost guns and associated gang activity. Local authorities are also calling on lawmakers to strengthen legislation surrounding the manufacturing and possession of untraceable firearms, emphasizing the need for state and federal intervention to close legal loopholes that currently allow the proliferation of these weapons.
Public safety officials urge community members to report suspicious activity and continue cooperating with law enforcement to help reduce the spread of illegal firearms. With ghost guns becoming a frequent component of gang-related crime, police are intensifying patrols and expanding investigations targeting the sources of these weapons.
The recent arrest at Puget Sound Park is just one example of the challenges faced by law enforcement as they contend with the evolving landscape of criminal weaponry. As ghost guns continue to surface in the hands of gang members, Burien authorities reaffirm their dedication to protecting the public and preventing future violence stemming from these dangerous, untraceable firearms.
