Left: Julia Fox
(Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP) Right: Ghost gun, not one of those found in Christopher Fox's apartment. (Oak Park Police Department via AP)
An investigation by NYPD’S ghost gun team led them to an apartment in a luxury building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side—where they discovered untraceable firearms, a homemade machine gun, 3D-printers, and materials sometimes used to make explosives as well as heroin, fentanyl, and a collection of fine wine. The apartment was occupied by Christopher Fox, the brother of model and actress Julia Fox, whose unique style and unusual inflection earned her the title “meme queen of TikTok,” according to W Magazine. (In particular, it was Fox’s pronunciation of Uncut Gems, the film she starred in, as “Unkah Jams”, that made her an internet sensation). Christopher Fox, 30, was taken into custody following the raid on Wednesday and arrested on an array of weapons and drug charges. In addition to the drugs, ghost guns, and materials typically used to make bombs, police also discovered a pressure cooker, paraphernalia used to press narcotic pills, and chemicals used to manufacture certain drugs. The NYPD told VICE News that Fox’s arrest was part of a “specialized, long-term investigation into ghost guns and narcotics.” “At this time, the matter is believed to be contained, with no apparent nexus to terrorism,” a spokesperson added. A second person whose identity has not been revealed was also taken into custody but not charged. Julia Fox, 33—who had a brief fling with rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West)—previously described her brother as a “mad scientist recluse” who built 3D-printers “for fun.”Untraceable ghost guns have been surging across the U.S in recent years, posing a fresh, complex challenge to crime investigations and gun control efforts nationwide. In New York, ghost guns have become particularly prevalent: Last year, NYPD officers seized 356 ghost guns—76 percent more than what they recovered during the same period in 2021. In Oct. 2021, New York Gov. Hochul signed legislation making it illegal to sell or own a ghost gun, and criminalizing possession of unfinished gun parts. State and local officials continue to ramp up efforts to stem the flow of untraceable ghost guns into New York. On Thursday, Attorney General Letitia James won a federal court order immediately blocking ten ghost gun distributors from selling or shipping parts or kits into New York. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s efforts to stem the flow of ghost guns are beginning to crumble under legal challenges.Want the best of VICE News straight to your inbox? Sign up here.
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