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Virginia Beach man suspected of selling trigger activators

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Posted 6:49 PM, Dec 03, 2021
and last updated 11:07 PM, Dec 03, 2021

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A man is suspected of selling trigger activators, according to a search warrant filed in circuit court.

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Jerome Harris

Jerome Harris was stopped by police on September 5 and arrested for possession of more than a pound of marijuana and possession of a firearm with more than a pound of marijuana, the search warrant says.

Investigators recovered his cellphone as evidence and reviewed social media accounts and text messages, where investigators say he talked about selling the trigger activators to people.

Harris talked with one person about selling "black switches" for $800, the search warrant says.

"Harris says he will allow people to shoot them before they buy. Harris states they only fit on the Glocks," the search warrant says.

Court records say Harris is in jail without bond on the charges from the traffic stop. Investigators have not indicated whether he will be charged based on what is in the search warrant.

He declined to speak with News 3 from jail.

Investigators searched his house in November, finding ammo, magazines, documents and receipts, according to the search warrant.

Speaking through a Ring doorbell, News 3 spoke with a man who said he's the stepfather of Harris.

"They're trying to say he's doing something illegal. I can't really get into details over this video camera," the stepfather said.

Trigger activators are illegal in Virginia, following the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, where a gunman shot more than 400 people and killed 60. The gunman used a bump stock, which, like a "switch," allows a semi-automatic gun to shoot more than one bullet by one pull of a trigger.

"Every time you pull the trigger one time, it shoots one time. In order to shoot the second time, you have to release your trigger and pull it again. The bump stock is a piece of equipment that once you pull the trigger one time, the mechanism allows the weapon to continue to fire until the weapon is empty," said James.

These types of devices can make big differences in a gun.

"You just hold it and it continues to shoot, so it's a significant difference," said James.

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