Crime & Law
Chicago Leaders Applaud Glock’s Reported Decision to Phase Out Pistols That Easily Convert to Automatic Weapons
A pistol is pictured in a file photo. (Tóth Viktor via Pexels)
Mayor Brandon Johnson is lauding a reported move by Glock Inc. to discontinue its existing line of pistols that can be converted into illegal machine guns after the city filed suit against the firearms manufacturer.
Glock is expected to launch new products purportedly designed to prevent semi-automatic conversion, a move that came after Chicago officials alleged in court that the company knowingly manufactures products that can be illegally converted into semi-automatic weapons using an item known as a “switch.”
“We know that Glock switches have been used in the vast majority of mass shooting incidents in our city. They have taken far too many lives and caused tremendous pain and suffering in our communities,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I’m proud that Chicago led the way in holding these gun manufacturers accountable. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to end gun violence in Chicago.”
According to the city, Glock will reportedly cease the manufacture and sale of its current models on Nov. 30. Spokespersons for the gun manufacturer did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday afternoon.
The city sued Glock in 2024, alleging the company could prevent its guns from being modified into machine guns, “but refuses to do so.” The city revised that suit months later, accusing Glock of using gun stores like Eagle Sports Range in south suburban Oak Forest and Midwest Sporting Goods in west suburban Lyons to distribute the guns, “even though it knows or has reason to know that these stores are catering to criminals.”
Glock’s semiautomatic pistols can be converted to illegal machine guns with an auto sear — a cheap, small device commonly known as a “Glock switch,” according to the city’s lawsuit. That violates the Firearms Industry Responsibility Act, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law in 2023 to hold gun companies accountable for conduct that endangers the public.
From the beginning of 2021 through May 2024 — when the lawsuit was first filed — the city alleges more than 1,300 converted Glocks were recovered in the city.
In September, a Cook County Circuit Court judge rejected a motion to dismiss the city’s lawsuit, allowing the case to proceed into the discovery phase. That lawsuit remains pending.
“This is a major step forward for the City of Chicago and other jurisdictions across the country that have been terrorized by these devices,” Chicago’s Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Garien Gatewood said in a statement. “Pulling every possible lever, we will continue to address the root causes of gun violence as we work to ensure every Chicagoan can feel safe in their community.”
Heather Cherone contributed to this report.
