United States
California Corruption Trial Hears Sheriff 'Sold' Hidden Handgun Permits
Los Angeles Times
11 Nov 2008
In her first five months in office, newly appointed Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has brought in a new management team, fired deputies accused of misconduct and tried to distance the department from the legacy of her indicted predecessor, Michael S. Carona. But the most controversy she has generated has been her decision to review the concealed weapons permits issued by Carona. Hutchens said she was concerned that more than 1,100 people held concealed carry permits issued by the former sheriff -- nearly three times the number of permits issued in Los Angeles County. She assigned a lieutenant to review each concealed weapons permit to determine... ( gunpolicy.org )
Solomon Islands
Crocodiles Now Seen as More of a Problem in Gun-free Solomon Islands
Fairfax Media
11 Nov 2008
Peace in the once troubled Solomon Islands is having a tragic side-effect as crocodiles are attacking unarmed villagers. As a result the international police force in the Pacific nation has gone crocodile hunting and in the last couple of days has killed 11. The country suffered ethnic conflict in the late 1990s on its main island of Guadalcanal which only ended in 2003 with the military Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and the Participating Police Force (PPF) which includes up to 30 New Zealand police. Under the peace deal most Solomon Islanders surrendered their firearms -- leaving them vulnerable to crocodiles. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Japan
Police Seize 800 'Lethal' Soft Air Guns from Japanese Airgun Maker
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan) / AP
11 Nov 2008
The Metropolitan Police Department suspects that a Tokyo-based company's airsoft gun put on sale in July is powerful enough to injure or kill without any modifications to the body, sources familiar with the case have said. It is rare for police to recognize an unconverted airsoft gun as a lethal weapon. The MPD seized 800 units of the type of gun during an inspection of the manufacturer on suspicion of violating the Firearms and Swords Control Law. The MPD plans to demand a recall of the model, of which 1,000 units have been sold, and is questioning parties concerned, including Yoshimoto Tanaka, the president of the toy gun maker, Tanaka Works,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Checks Spiked 49% in Election Week: Assault Weapons Popular
CNN
11 Nov 2008
WASHINGTON -- Bernie Conatser has never seen business this good. The owner of a gun shop in the Washington suburb of Manassas, Virginia, Conatser said sales have doubled or tripled the numbers he racked up in late October. Saturday, he said, he did as much business as he would normally do in a week. "I have been in business for 12 years, and I was here for Y2K, September 11, Katrina," Conatser said, as a steady stream of customers browsed what remained of his stock. "And all of those were big events, and we did notice a spike in business, but nothing on the order of what we are seeing right now." Weapons dealers in much of the United States... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Sales Up Since Election, as 'Hysteria' Kicks in Among Buyers
Los Angeles Times
11 Nov 2008
HOUSTON -- A week after the election of the nation's first black president, gun buyers across the country are flocking to gun stores to stock up on assault rifles, handguns and ammunition. Some say they are worried that the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama will attempt to re-impose the ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004. Others fear the loss of their right to own handguns. A few say they are preparing to protect themselves in the event of a race war. But whatever the reason, gun dealers in red and blue states alike say they've never seen anything like the run on weaponry they've been experiencing since election day, surpassing... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US High Court Could Re-arm Thousands of Convicted Family Abusers
Los Angeles Times
11 Nov 2008
WASHINGTON -- Thousands convicted of a misdemeanor for threatening or assaulting a spouse or girlfriend could once again own guns because of a flaw in the federal law. That prospect grew more likely Monday after the Supreme Court gave a skeptical hearing to a government lawyer who argued that a crime of domestic violence should result in a loss of gun rights. Neither families nor police officers should face "the powder keg situation of a domestic offender with a gun," said Nicole Saharsky, a Justice Department lawyer. But she ran into sharp questioning from justices who said the law was badly written. Congress in 1996 sought to strengthen... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Utah Police Force Arms its Officers with Guns Seized from Criminals
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah) / AP
11 Nov 2008
ROY, Utah -- Police in Roy have some new guns to use in their pursuit of crime. The guns are from criminals themselves. The police department recently got approval from the City Council to use two riot shotguns and a Glock pistol while in the line of duty. Two of the firearms were confiscated and one was found. Police Capt. Jack Bell says the shotguns had been stored at the department for several years and are brand new. The Glock is identical to the service pistols used by all Roy police officers. Police Chief Greg Whinham says this is the first time this situation has ever come up in Roy. He says that after sitting in a storage locker for... ( gunpolicy.org )
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