United States
'Very Friendly' California Santa Suit Killer Had 4 Semi-auto Handguns
Associated Press
26 Dec 2008
COVINA, California -- A man who carried out a Christmas Eve massacre and arson dressed as Santa at the home of his former in-laws apparently intended to flee the U.S., but his plans were dashed after the inferno he created severely burned his arms and melted his red costume onto his body, police said Friday. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, a laid-off aerospace worker, apparently shot some of his nine victims execution-style in a plot to destroy his ex-wife's family after a costly divorce that was finalized last week. He had airline tickets to Canada and $17,000 in cash on his body, some attached to his legs with plastic wrap and some in a girdle, Covina police Chief Kim... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Show Loophole: Virginia Invites Criminals to Buy at Gun Shows
Daily Press, Editorial
26 Dec 2008
Earlier this month, the Virginia State Crime Commission danced back from an opportunity to help reduce crime. It declined -- let's hope temporarily -- to recommend that the General Assembly close the gun-show loophole. Loophole? Gun-rights advocates never tire of arguing that there's no such thing. There is indeed. Federal and state law require that people buying guns from licensed dealers undergo background checks. It's the front line in the effort to make sure that those whom the state and nation believe shouldn't own guns -- convicted felons, the mentally ill, abusive spouses, for example -- can't buy them. But at a gun show, any and all... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Crime, Stray Bullet Survivors Urge Toronto Handgun Ban [Part 2 of 2]
National Post (Toronto)
26 Dec 2008
[Continued from Part 1 of 2] Sean: It's accessibility. He wasn't supposed to be carrying a gun. The fact that the attitude seems to be, it just seems so easy for them to have a gun or get a gun. It makes no sense to me how casual the younger people seem to be. What do you think has caused this shift in attitude? Susan: I think to some extent with the video games and the violence in movies and the violence on TV, that a lot of kids grow up and they don't really realize what a gun does. It has sort of become like a piece of jewelry. I saw a movie recently, the Coen brothers movie. I'm very careful about what I see because I can barely breathe.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Crime, Stray Bullet Survivors Urge Toronto Handgun Ban [Part 1 of 2]
National Post (Toronto)
26 Dec 2008
In 2008, the shooting deaths of several innocent Torontonians rocked the city. In June, Dylan Ellis and Oliver Martin, both 25, were killed while waiting for a friend in an SUV parked on Richmond Street West. In January, John O'Keefe, a 42-year-old father, was walking home along Yonge Street when he crossed into the path of gunfire and was shot in the head. This Fall, we were also made to remember the Boxing Day 2005 shooting death of 15-year-old Jane Creba; the first trial in her slaying ended with a second-degree murder conviction. Though crime, according to police statistics, is dropping in Toronto, the number of shootings has risen 18% this year,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Israel
Bedouin Child Killed While Playing with Dad's Licensed Gun in Negev
Jerusalem Post (Israel)
26 Dec 2008
An eight-year-old Beduin boy died Friday morning of a stray gunshot to his head. The boy and his younger brother were allegedly playing with their father's licensed gun near Hura in the Negev. Family members evacuated the mortally wounded child to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, where he was pronounced dead. Police arrived at the site of the incident and have launched an investigation. ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Australia Leads All Other Western Nations in Reducing Gun Homicide
Sydney Morning Herald
26 Dec 2008
Australia leads other Western nations in a reduction in gun-related murders, crime statistics reveal. As the State Government promotes another gun amnesty, data from the Australian Institute of Criminology shows that NSW has the lowest share of such murders in the nation. However, in 2006-07 six times as many people in NSW died from injuries inflicted by hand and feet, than by guns. And knives have long since overtaken guns as the main murder weapon Australia-wide, the data showed. The NSW Minister for Police, Tony Kelly, announced a three-month firearms amnesty last week, starting in March. But the Opposition Leader, Barry O'Farrell,... ( gunpolicy.org )
|
|
