Police warn of dangerous gun modification amid discovery

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – A dangerous trend affecting parts of the country has now made its way to Northeast Arkansas.

On Sunday, Aug. 7, Jonesboro police officers found a modified gun, known as a “glock switch”, during a traffic stop. The discovery has Police Chief Rick Elliott nervous.

A “glock switch” is a small plastic piece attached to the back of a handgun, making the gun fully automatic but having less accuracy. Elliott explained the lack of control creates a dangerous situation.

“Obviously, this is not controllable, and these bullets are going in various different directions, and if innocent people are in the area, there is a possibility someone could get hurt or killed,” he said.

Elliott added he had seen the trend all over the Mid-South, so he was not surprised when one of his officers came across the weapon.

“This is the first one we have seen in Jonesboro. We had known they have been in the area especially over in Memphis, so we knew it was just a matter of time until they would end up here,” he said.

Logan Lee, the owner of 141 Shooting Range in Bono, said these guns are not made for self-defense or sport, stressing there is only one reason some people have one.

“It is really used for mass murder,” he said. “The spray-and-pray type of approach, and what happens in a lot of cases is that police are outgunned because they are using semi-automatic weapons, and when police are outgunned, it’s never good.”

If you are caught with a “glock switch”, you may be prosecuted federally and could face anywhere from five to ten years in federal prison.

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