Counties in Southern California have been cracking down on ghost guns, with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) calling ghost guns’ prevalence an “epidemic,” according to an LAPD report released Oct. 15. The report, which was presented to the police commission board on Oct. 19, said that the use of ghost guns in the city has increased by nearly 400 percent since 2017. “It’s dramatically going up, and it is going to eclipse last year’s totals, potentially by 1,000 plus guns,” LAPD Deputy Chief Kris Pitcher told the commission during the meeting. Ghost guns, also known as kit guns, are sold partially assembled and can be completed using purchased parts. The LAPD’s report noted that 3-D printing makes obtaining parts especially convenient. The unfinished parts are not legally required to have serial numbers or a background check to purchase and are often sold at gun shows or online. “When sold …