Democrat Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) introduced a measure that would have the government treat airguns like regular firearms.

The lawmaker and his allies are using the death of one of his constituents, who used one of these weapons to commit suicide, to justify the proposed legislation.

Modern airguns can be powerful enough to cause serious injury or death, yet face far fewer safeguards than traditional firearms simply because they use compressed air instead of gunpowder. To close this dangerous gap, Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) introduced Garrett’s Law today after one of his constituents lost her son to suicide involving a high-powered airgun. 

Existing law requires licensed firearms manufacturers and dealers to conduct a background check on prospective buyers to identify individuals who are prohibited from owning a firearm, such as felons or those with certain severe mental health conditions. Yet, lethal airguns are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission as consumer products, rather than as dangerous weapons regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. As a result, any individual can bypass a background check to purchase a type of airgun that is as deadly as a firearm, regardless of criminal history or ability to otherwise legally own a firearm.    

This loophole has caused irreparable and, in some cases, fatal harm. Garrett Edwards, a constituent of Rep. Mullin, struggled with mental health during the pandemic and was prohibited from possessing a firearm by law. Yet, sadly, when his condition worsened, Garrett legally purchased a lethal airgun online and used it to take his own life. To prevent similar tragedies, Garrett’s Law would close this dangerous gap in federal law by designating high-powered, lethal airguns as firearms.  

“Garrett should still be here today,” said Rep. Mullin. “If a weapon is powerful enough to kill, it should be subject to the same common-sense safety standards as any other gun. It makes no sense that someone prohibited by law from purchasing a firearm can still walk into a store or go online and legally obtain an airgun capable of killing. This bill closes that gap and, hopefully, helps prevent another family from facing this kind of unimaginable loss.” 

“Garrett’s Law represents every person’s right to be protected from a needless death,” said Garrett’s mother, Ann Edwards. “Garrett was an elite athlete, scholar, and meant the world to me. Despite the countless efforts made by his community, his late onset psychosis was unforgiving, and in a moment of crisis, he was able to access a lethal airgun through Amazon. Garrett ran out of time to fully live his life. I hope this law gives another child the chance to keep fighting.”


GIFFORDS, one of the nation’s leading anti-gunner organizations, endorsed the measure. 

“Airguns can be lethal, and current federal law ignores that by allowing unfettered access to them,” Emma Brown, executive director at GIFFORDS, said. “We’re glad to see Rep. Mullin introducing this legislation to create basic guardrails for these previously unregulated weapons, and we urge Congress to swiftly pass it.”

There are several flaws in Mullin's argument. His bill would redefine the federal definition of firearms — which refers to devices that use an explosion to fire a projectile. Those who already purchased airguns would be owning unserialized firearms under Garrett’s bill. 

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Also, Mullin is using one suicide to penalize, and possibly criminalize, millions of people simply for owning them. CDC figures reveal that about 3.2 million to 3.4 million air rifles and BB guns are sold each year in the United States.

This is clearly just an attempt to expand the government’s ability to decide what people can and cannot own, and those supporting it are using a tragedy to do so.