Young Michigan Victim Suing Ghost Gun Supplier for Selling Parts to Minor Who Shot Him
A tragic incident that occurred in Michigan on May 31, 2021, has led a 19-year-old man named Guy Boyd to file a lawsuit against Pennsylvania-based JSD Supply and his former best friend, Kyle Thueme. The suit was filed in Michigan’s Washtenaw County Circuit Court on Monday, accusing both defendants of negligence and engaging in unfair and deceptive trade practices.
Boyd and Thueme were both 17 years old at the time of the shooting incident. The lawsuit alleges that JSD Supply had illegally sold two sets of ghost gun kits to Thueme, who used them to assemble “fully operational pistols in minutes,” without verifying his age or checking whether he could lawfully possess a firearm.
Ghost guns are self-assembled, untraceable firearms made using parts sold contact. These weapons do not require serial numbers, background checks, or transfer records for easy tracking and are often attractive to individuals who are legally prohibited from buying firearms.
Boyd’s injuries were severe, resulting in the permanent loss of his right eye and ongoing chronic and debilitating seizures that have nearly taken his life. He also suffers from significant memory loss, anxiety, and other physical and emotional challenges. His mother, Denise Wieck, shared her family’s pain during a news conference on Tuesday and stated their intention to create change.
The lawsuit also accuses JSD Supply of employing dangerous marketing methods, such as falsely advertising that the assembled ghost gun could be owned without licensing or paperwork. The company’s Website allegedly stated, “No paperwork. And without serialization, there is no way to track your purchase.”
JSD Supply and attorneys for Thueme have not responded to News Finder’s request for comment regarding the lawsuit. In October 2021, the Supreme Court allowed the Biden Administration to continue regulating ghost guns as firearms under federal law, and in 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives updated its regulations to define these privately assembled weapons as firearms under the law.
The rule does not prohibit the sale or possession of any ghost gun kit, nor does it block a person from purchasing such a kit. Instead, it requires compliance with federal laws that impose conditions on the commercial sale of firearms, which include marking products with serial numbers and maintaining records for law enforcement to trace firearms used in crimes.
New Jersey and several cities have filed lawsuits against JSD Supply, accusing the company of marketing, selling, and supplying ghost gun kits at gun shows. The purchased ghost guns have later been recovered from crimes in those jurisdictions.
Boyd’s lawsuit is significant because it was brought by a direct victim of gun violence and addresses concerning business practices employed by JSD Supply in selling ghost gun kits contact. Len Hong Kamdang, a lawyer at Everytown Law, the litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety and one of the groups representing Boyd, stated that the company markets ghost gun kits on its Website as “80% pistols,” which is misleading and implies that purchasers need to complete the last 20% of assembly themselves for a fully operable firearm.
Michigan law permits individuals who are at least 18 to buy handguns from private sellers, while federal law prohibits licensed firearm dealers from selling a handgun to anyone under 21. The lawsuit alleges that JSD Supply markets ghost gun kits as “80% pistols,” which is misleading, and encourages customers to purchase both companion kits together with the intention that they will be assembled into a firearm.
The shooting incident took place inside an RV parked in the driveway of Boyd’s girlfriend’s family home in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The group had been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana before Thueme displayed a gun and started “messing with it.” Believing the weapon was unloaded, Thueme pointed it at Boyd’s face and pulled the trigger.
Boyd last remembered hearing Thueme saying, “I love you, bro,” after the shooting occurred. Police and medical responders arrived at the scene, and Boyd was taken to a nearby hospital for emergency care. Fragments from the bullet lodged in his brain remain today, forcing him to quit activities that brought him joy and resulting in a permanent loss of his right eye. He also suffers from seizures, anxiety, and memory loss.
Boyd was an accomplished swimmer, a member of his high school football team, and participated in Boy Scouts before the incident. His hope is that his story will raise awareness about the dangers of ghost guns.
