Authorities suspect the perpetrators of the Birmingham, Alabama, mass shooting employedit "alteration devices." Here's an explanation of that term.
The incident, resulting in four fatalities and 17 injuries, represents the latest surge of widespread violence. This surge is largely due to a minor component known as a "conversion device," "Glock switch," or "auto sear."
Regardless of the term used, these devices possess the capability to transform a standard handgun into a fully automatic weapon. Their prevalence has been rising rapidly in the United States, significantly increasing casualty counts and adding to public and law enforcement concerns.
In a recent Facebook post, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin declared, "Glock switches are the primary safety concern in our city and state."
Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond labeled the devices a significant issue, mentioning that investigations were ongoing to determine if the shooters utilized a switch or another weapon in the incident.
Saturday's shooting saw multiple individuals discharging their firearms in Birmingham's lively entertainment district, reportedly as part of a targeted "hit." Several bystanders unintentionally became victims of the crossfire. No charges have been made, and authorities offered a combined reward up to $100,000 for information about the suspects.
"Fully automatic weapons have no place on the streets of Birmingham or the United States," Thurmond asserted. "They're extremely problematic, causing a great deal of damage incredibly quickly."
The focus lies on a small, inexpensive device that transforms a semi-automatic pistol into an unlawful machine gun, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama. This device, either metallic or plastic, attaches to the rear of the firearm, enabling the user to switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic fire, circumventing the requirement to pull the trigger each time.
Using these switches, shooters can discharge a tremendous number of rounds within a short timeframe. The rapid fire and recoil make it challenging to aim accurately, resulting in innocent bystanders getting caught in the crossfire, as appeared to be the case in Birmingham.
The devices are categorized as machine guns under federal law and are illegal. However, due to their ease of production with a common 3D printer, authorities face challenges in stopping their production and spread.
The use of these switches has grown increasingly common in mass shootings recently. Machine gun incidents rose from 400 in 2019 to 5,600 in 2021, as per a 2022 CNN analysis using data from ShotSpotter.
Automatic weapons have been linked to several prominent assaults in recent years, including a mass shooting in Sacramento, California, which resulted in six fatalities and a dozen injuries, a school shooting in Washington, D.C., involving a sniper who fired more than 200 shots with automatic rifles, wounding four individuals, and the slaying of Houston police officer William “Bill” Jeffrey during an arrest warrant service in 2021.
Initiatives to curb the issue
Various endeavors across Alabama and the nation are working to limit the spread and use of these devices.
In July, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama and the ATF announced "Operation Flip the Switch," an initiative to tackle the conversion devices and prosecute individuals who possess them. As part of the initiative, the US Attorney collaborated with Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama to provide cash rewards for information leading to a warrant or arrest related to switch possession or printing.
"Machine gun conversion devices have no place in our community," US Attorney Prim Escalona stated. "Though small in size, a switch is lethal, and numerous innocent people can be wounded with a single trigger pull."
Last month, five individuals were sentenced for switch possession and other gun-related offenses in Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Woodfin, the Birmingham mayor, pointed out that conversion devices are illegal federally but not under state law, and he called for the state legislature to ban the devices.
"Every Mayor, Police Chief, Sheriff, and District Attorney I know wants Glock switches outlawed," Woodfin stated. "Converting a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon that discharges all bullets in seconds has no place on our domestic streets."
Alabama Rep. Phillip Ensler, a Democrat representing Montgomery, has sponsored a bill making the devices illegal at the state level. Last week, he participated in a demonstration at a Montgomery shooting range in which trained firearm experts failed to aim accurately while using the conversion devices.
"The demonstration showed that bullets often miss the target," Ensler informed CNN in a phone call. "These devices are dangerous because within just a handful of seconds, the ammunition is discharged. It happens incredibly quickly, making it hard to control and very dangerous."
He has invited his colleagues to participate in these shooting demonstrations so they can experience the dangers firsthand. He claims that there is bipartisan interest in the bill and hopes to pass it during the upcoming legislative session.
"I know that this won't stop every tragedy, but it can prevent some of them," he stated. "I'm not naive; I don't believe that this will magically stop every terrible situation, but it can make things a little safer."
There are also attempts to hold gun manufacturers accountable. This year, the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit against Glock, accusing the handgun company of failing to prevent the use of conversion devices on its weapons.
"Glock engineered their handgun to easily transition into a machine gun with a minor adjustment, and they're aware that this transformation is common among their firearms," the lawsuit alleges. "Glock has been given warnings by the ATF regarding the weapon's design, acknowledging that it poses a potential issue, but they've opted against addressing it, prioritizing profits over public well-being, and breaching the law."
As per the lawsuit, Chicago law enforcement has seized over 1,300 modified Glocks from January 2021 to May 2024.
Glock has yet to address the lawsuit, as indicated in the court records. CNN has attempted to contact Glock for a statement.
CNN's Scott Glover and Curt Devine contributed to this report.
The authorities in Birmingham, led by Mayor Randall Woodfin and Chief Scott Thurmond, are actively concerned about the use of Glock switches, viewing them as a significant safety concern in their city and state.
The US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama, in collaboration with various initiatives, is working diligently to prosecute individuals who possess these conversion devices, acknowledging their lethal potential and the significant challenges authorities face in stopping their spread.
