Fully automatic ghost gun found during South Loop traffic stop: sheriff’s office – CWB Chicago

Late last night, police in the South Loop apprehended an 18-year-old man after finding a loaded, fully automatic ghost gun in his vehicle, according to law enforcement officials.

The traffic stop occurred around 10 p.m. on September 30, when deputies noticed a Ford Fusion with tinted windows in the 1700 block of South State Street. Officers detected a strong scent of cannabis from inside the car and observed remnants of rolled cigars within.

The driver, identified as Markise Bullocks, was asked to exit the vehicle. Upon searching the car, officers discovered a ghost gun—an untraceable firearm devoid of a serial number—complete with an extended magazine, laser sight, and switch for full automatic capability. Additionally, officers found cannabis in the car’s interior.

Ghost guns, which can be assembled from kits or 3D-printed parts, have become more prevalent in Chicago’s shootings. The absence of serial numbers renders these firearms nearly impossible to trace, creating challenges in linking them to crimes or their owners.

Bullocks, who lacks a Firearm Owner’s Identification card or a concealed carry permit, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun—classified as a Class X felony.

Prosecutors requested that Judge Ankur Srivastava detain Bullocks until trial; however, the judge granted his release under the court’s electronic monitoring program.