University Official Arrested For Possession of 3D Printed Gun – Claims ‘A gun makes power equal’
It’s just a matter of time before it becomes commonplace to hear of people being arrested for the possession of 3D printed guns. They exist, and the designs to produce them can be found on the internet, in many locations, free of charge.
Just today, 27 year old Yoshitomo Imura, was arrested in the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan for possession of 5 3D printed firearms. Two of these firearms had the ability to be loaded with live metal ammunition, and fired, thus making them lethal. Police also recovered a 3D printer from Imura’s home, which is believed to have been used to produce these weapons.
Police became suspicious, after they discovered that Imura had posted videos of himself firing this gun (Zig-Zag Revolver). An investigation pursued, culminating in his arrest yesterday. One of the posts made by Imura on the video website where his guns are shown being fired said, “The right person should survive even if weak. A gun makes power equal!”
He also eagerly encouraged people in the United States to 3D print this gun themselves. Although he did fire the gun, the video states specifically that blanks were used in place of live ammunition.
It is reported that Imura has admitted to using a 3D printer to print out the weapons, but he claimed ignorance, saying that he didn’t know that it was illegal to create these guns on a 3D printer. No ammunition was recovered in Imura’s home though.
“I can’t complain about the arrest if the police regard them as real guns,” Imura reportedly said after his arrest.
This is the first time that the Japanese Firearm and Sword control law has had to be applied to guns that were created on a 3D printer. The 3D printer used to make these guns cost Imura approximately ¥60,000 ($589/422€).
Just this past December, the United State Congress renewed a ban on guns that are made in materials other than metal. This includes 3D printed guns, which are mostly made with different types of plastics. In Japan, gun laws are even more strict, with most people never even coming in contact with them.
The 3D printing of guns will continue to be a growing problem, with the increasing popularity of 3D printing. Guns that are made from plastic can be even more dangerous than metal ones. Plastic guns are known to misfire, backfire, and cause injuries to their shooters. They are also able to more easily slip through checkpoints, and metal detectors. Governments around the world will soon be faced with difficult decisions on how to enforce laws that restrict the 3D printing of such weapons. This surely isn’t the last story of its kind that we will be hearing about.
Discuss this story, and your thoughts on the 3D printing of guns at the 3DPB.com forum.
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
Print Services
Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.
You May Also Like
MX3D Receives €7 Million in Series A Funding for WAAM Services
Dutch large-format wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) firm MX3D has gotten a €7 million ($7.8M) investment in its Series A round. The round is led by EDF Pulse Ventures, with...
3D Printing News Briefs, April 23, 2025: Awards, Scalmalloy, & More
We’re starting with double awards for AMIS in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, as the company was recently honored on both sides of the Atlantic! Moving on, BLT Europe announced...
3D Printing News Briefs & Events Roundup: March 8, 2025
Starting this week, we’re shaking things up a little! We’ll be combining our 3D Printing News Briefs with a more curated weekly list of 3D printing webinars and events to...
Endgame for Currant 3D and Sugar Lab as the Pioneers of 3D Printed Sweet Treats
From powdered sugar to gravity-defying creations, the 3D printing of sweet treats was pushed further than ever by culinary brands Currant 3D and Sugar Lab. Co-founded by Kyle von Hasseln...