Chicago sues Glock, blames gunmaker for pistols turned into ‘machine guns’

The city of Chicago has filed a lawsuit against Glock Inc., charging the firearm manufacturer with contributing to the proliferation of illegal machine guns in the city. The suit claims Glock sells semiautomatic pistols that can be readily converted into automatic weapons using a device known as a “Glock switch.”

These conversion devices are easily obtained online or through 3D printing. According to the lawsuit, more than 1,100 modified Glock-involved crimes have taken place within the last two years.

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The lawsuit, which leverages Illinois’ Firearms Industry Responsibility Act, aims to halt the sale of Glock firearms in Chicago and seeks damages, pointing to the company’s knowledge of the conversion issue and its inaction.

Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke out against the company, emphasizing Chicago’s battle against gun violence and accusing Glock of valuing profits over public safety.

“The city of Chicago is encountering a deadly new frontier in the gun violence plaguing our communities because of the increase of fully automatic Glocks on our streets,” Johnson said.

The lawsuit criticizes Glock for not taking measures to prevent the conversion of semiautomatic guns to automatic, labeling such inaction as negligent and detrimental to public safety.

“Right now, anyone in the United States with $20 and a screwdriver can convert their Glock pistol into an illegal machine gun in just a few minutes,” said Eric Tirschwell, executive director of Everytown Law. “We intend to hold Glock accountable for the unconscionable decision to continue selling its easily modified pistols even though it could fix the problem, knowing that by refusing to do so it is exacerbating gun violence in Chicago.” 

In related international legal actions, Mexico has recently sued Glock and other U.S. gun makers for their alleged role in arming drug cartels, contributing to violence.

The NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action has emphasized that devices designed to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic ones, including “auto switches” or “Glock switches,” are illegal throughout the U.S. The penalty for contravening this law can lead to a decade-long prison term.