LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — A mourning Louisville mother believes that proper screening by an online gun distributor could have prevented her son’s death.
Henry Willis, 18, had just graduated from Seneca High School when he died by suicide in 2023.
Court documents show that on July 6, 2023, Henry bought a pistol-building kit from Husky Armory. The site reportedly advertises the no-background-check, no serial number “ghost gun” kit that includes “everything you need to build your own Glock-style pistol from the comfort of your home,” including a partially assembled frame that can be assembled into a functioning handgun by “nearly anyone with a brain.”
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Six days after the kit was delivered, Henry used it to end his life.
Neither Husky Armory nor its parent company is recognized as a federally licensed firearms dealer, the suit alleges. To enter the site, all you do is check a box stating you’re 21 or over.
“A law-abiding, licensed firearms seller would have discovered that it was prohibited from selling a handgun to Henry,” the suit reads.
Why? He was too young to purchase a gun under federal law and wouldn’t have passed a background check due to his mental health history.
“Both factors would have shown up in the course of a legal gun purchase and prevented the sale from proceeding,” Thomas wrote.
A Supreme Court ruling has shuttered one ghost gun seller, but other shops like Husky Armory are still out there.
“Ghost gun sellers like Husky Armory have found a way to profit by operating in the shadows,” said Tad Thomas, founder of the Thomas Law Offices. “We’re bringing this lawsuit not just to get justice for Henry and his family, but to stop this from happening to another young person in crisis. No company should be able to sidestep the law and put lethal weapons in the hands of vulnerable individuals, especially when those individuals are legally prohibited from owning a gun in the first place.”
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Nearly 90% of the teenagers who lost to suicide are male, attorneys for the Willis family emphasized. Kentucky has the 16th-highest rate of gun suicides in the U.S.
“Henry was a gentle, sensitive child at the center of our family’s world. As he grew into his teen years, we watched as serious mental health challenges ripped away his joy. After months of struggle, Henry was back in therapy, and I really felt as though he could turn the page on this painful chapter,” Laura Herp, Henry’s mother, said. “I firmly believe my son would be alive today if Husky Armory hadn’t sold him that handgun kit. Far too many families share my pain—I just want to make sure no one experiences a similar tragedy in the future.”
Husky Armory has not responded to the litigation at the time of writing.
If you or someone you know needs help, resources, or someone to talk to, you can find it at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website or by calling 1-800-273-8255 or dial 988. People are available to talk to 24/7. For more about risk factors and warning signs, visit the organization’s website.
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