Important Takeaways:

• The people who opened fire in a mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama, late Saturday are suspected of using “conversion devices” in carrying out the attack, and over 100 shell casings were collected at the scene, according to a preliminary investigation from police.
• The shooting, which left four dead and 17 injured, is just the latest spurt of mass violence made possible by the small part known as a “conversion device,” “Glock switch” or “auto sear.”
• Whatever the term, the devices have the power to transform a handgun into a fully automatic firearm.
• Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond called the devices “a huge problem,” adding they were still investigating whether the shooters used a switch or another type of weapon.
• With these switches, shooters can fire a huge number of rounds in a very short amount of time. The rapid fire and recoil also make it difficult to aim properly, so these types of shootings can lead to innocent bystanders caught in the spray, as appeared to be the case in Birmingham.
• There are several efforts in Alabama and across the country working to stop the spread and use of these devices.

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