United States
Chicago Mayor Recycles Gun Control Slate, Adds Pistol Microstamping
Chicago Sun-Times
8 March 2010
Mayor Daley today unveiled his annual package of gun control legislation and denied he's "swimming upstream" at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its intention to overturn Chicago's handgun ban. Most of the ideas are re-treads, but there are a few new wrinkles. They include a proposal to make it a mandatory Class 1 felony to "knowingly sell or transfer a gun to a known gang member." Daley also wants to strengthen... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mexico,United States
Tennessee Gun Collector, Drug Dealer Blows Whistle on US-Mexico Trade
Scripps Howard News Service (USA)
8 March 2010
The U.S. boss of a violent Mexican drug cartel who admitted ordering a hit on someone who ran afoul of him has been a busy man since authorities nabbed him and 34 kilograms of his cocaine at the border. He's traveled to Williamsport, Pa., to accompany his son on a Little League baseball trip. He's attended his sister's graduation from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. He's vacationed with his family in Panama City, Fla.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Crime Busters Hail 'DNA for Guns' as Australians Solve Killings, Cold Cases
Sydney Morning Herald
7 March 2010
A process hailed as DNA for guns has helped to clear up many crimes that would otherwise remain unsolved. The NSW Police Force has lifted the lid on its integrated ballistics identification system (IBIS) which has just scored it 350th "cold hit". IBIS is an electronic database of bullets and cartridge cases collected from crime scenes or seized firearms. Using state-of-the-art lasers and microscopes, it scans the unique... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Police Abandon 'Crude' AK-47 Assault Rifles for Pistols in Kampala
Observer (Kampala)
7 March 2010
Mean looking AK-47 toting Police constables will soon disappear from the streets as the force moves to introduce sidearm pistols, the universally accepted weapons in modern policing. The Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, told a press conference at the Police Headquarters in Kampala on Friday that the change of weapons was part of a broader plan to transform the Police from a force into a service. "We... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Effort to Tighten Minnesota's Gun Show Law Getting Folks Riled Up
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St Paul)
3 March 2010
From Virginia to Arizona, federal and state gun laws are loosening everywhere from national parks to Amtrak trains. But in St. Paul, a proposal that would send Minnesota in the opposite direction is headed toward its first hearing Friday -- a bill requiring background checks on the purchaser of any firearm sold at a gun show. The proposal pits its DFL sponsor, St. Paul Rep. Michael Paymar, against the mighty arsenal of... ( gunpolicy.org )
New Zealand
Judge Tosses New Zealand Police Reclassification of Assault Weapons
New Zealand Herald
3 March 2010
A High Court decision has set back efforts by police to impose greater controls on a wider range of firearms. The court has ruled against a move by police to reclassify many "sporting configuration" firearms as military-style semi-automatics (MSSAs). Police spent $60,000 advertising the changes. Owners would have had to undergo more stringent vetting, register each affected weapon and have a more expensive gun safe. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
All US Gun Laws Could Be in Jeopardy, Depending on High Court Case
National Public Radio (USA), Transcript
2 March 2010
The U.S. Supreme Court steps back onto the firing range, so to speak, as it takes up the controversial question of gun rights Tuesday. At issue is whether the Second Amendment right to bear arms puts constitutional limits on state and local laws as well as federal laws. For the first 100 years of America's history, the Bill of Rights -- protecting rights of free speech and religion, among others -- limited only what the federal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Armed Groups Fight with Home Made Guns, AK-47s in Nigeria Gang War
Daily Independent (Lagos)
2 March 2010
ENUGU/ABAKALIKI, Nigeria -- Residents are now counting their losses after the ceasefire that followed Ezza/Ezzilo communal clash in Ebonyi State, while security forces have started recovering arms. Though, the number of casualties and quantum of material losses are still not clear, the police command admits that much had been lost. The hostilities ceased shortly after Governor Martin Elechi in the company of the Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Found with Machine Gun, AK-47s, Gun Owner Decries 'Most Wanted' List
Daily Record (New Jersey)
2 March 2010
PARSIPPANY, New Jersey - A lawyer defending a Parsippany man accused of owning illegal assault guns and trying to sell a machine gun wants prosecutors to reveal whether his client or the buyer were on any county-wide lists of targeted alleged criminals. Filed on behalf of defendant Adam Coughlan, attorney Gregg D. Trautmann's motion was filed in Superior Court, Morristown, in response to a law enforcement initiative announced in... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Starbucks: Allowing American Customers to Wear Guns Is Just Business
Associated Press
2 March 2010
SEATTLE -- Coffee chain Starbucks said Wednesday it's sticking to its policy of letting customers carry guns where it's legal and is asking not to be put in the middle of a larger gun-control debate. The company's statement, issued Wednesday, stems from recent campaign by some gun owners, who have walked into Starbucks and other businesses to test state laws that allow gun owners to carry weapons openly in public places. Now,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Highway Robbery Gang Arrested with 16 Rifles, AK-47s in Nigeria
Vanguard (Lagos)
1 March 2010
ASABA, Nigeria -- Men of the Delta state police command have arrested a five-man gang along Patani/Ughelli road with dynamites and AK-47 rifles. State police command's spokesman, Mr. Charles Muka who confirmed the incident said that policemen on patrol duty successfully dislodged the gang before they could strike. According to him, "police command has recovered 16 assorted rifles seized from five members of the gang terrorizing... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Licensed Florida Gun Dealer Loses 29 Firearms, AK-47s to Thieves
Ledger (Florida)
1 March 2010
Orlando police are asking the public for help in finding thieves who broke into a gun shop and stole firearms and ammunition. Police said Monday that last week employees of Buffalo Bills Shooting Store arrived to find the store had been burglarized. Authorities said the stolen items include 29 firearms and at least 20 boxes of ammunition. Stolen guns include a Norinco AK-47 rifle, Yugo AK-47 rifle and SKS rifle. ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Campaign Grows as More US Gun Owners Flaunt Handguns in Starbucks
Associated Press
28 February 2010
Dale Welch recently walked into a Starbucks in Virginia, handgun strapped to his waist, and ordered a banana Frappuccino with a cinnamon bun. He says the firearm drew a double-take from at least one customer, but not a peep from the baristas. Welch's foray into the coffeehouse was part of an effort by some gun owners to exercise and advertise their rights in states that allow people to openly carry firearms. Even in some... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Collector, 'Paranoid' Security Guard Kills Police Officer in California
Associated Press
27 February 2010
FRESNO,California - The man who authorities say killed one law enforcement officer and wounded two others in a gunbattle at his mobile home was a paranoid private security guard who kept a gun collection and told his wife he would rather die than go to prison, authorities said Friday. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer identified Rick "Ricky" Ray Liles, 51, as the shooter and said he had been taking medication for depression and probably... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Ohio Gun Owners Push Obama Fear Factor, Hidden Handgun Permits Soar
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio)
27 February 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio issued a record 56,691 concealed handgun licenses in 2009, shattering the previous one-year high of 45,497 set in 2004, according to the state attorney general's office. That means Ohio is now approaching 200,000 concealed permits issued since 2004, when the state started handing out licenses to qualified people. And those for and against tougher gun control laws agree the smoking gun for the 2009... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Fearing Imagined Obama Agenda, US States Push to Loosen Gun Laws
New York Times
24 February 2010
When President Obama took office, gun rights advocates sounded the alarm, warning that he intended to strip them of their arms and ammunition. And yet the opposite is happening. Mr. Obama has been largely silent on the issue while states are engaged in a new and largely successful push for expanded gun rights, even passing measures that have been rejected in the past. In Virginia, the General Assembly approved a bill last... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Laws Loosen in US, Even as Gun Policy Changes Little Under Obama
CBS News (USA) / Political Hotsheet, Blog
24 February 2010
Gun rights advocates are pushing for a slew of new laws in numerous states to loosen gun control, the New York Times reports, in anticipation of stricter gun control laws from the Obama administration. Those policies, however, have yet to materialize. Because he campaigned on promises to make the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, to close the loophole that allows unlicensed dealers to sell firearms at gun shows without... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Licensed Florida Gun Dealer Loses 29 Guns, Assault Weapons to Thieves
WDBO-TV News (Florida)
23 February 2010
When employees of Buffalo Bills Shooting Store showed up for work Tuesday morning, they found their business had been broken into - and it only went down hill from there. Sgt. Barb Jones with Orlando Police says the employees called OPD to sweep the building and make sure no one still inside. And then there was the disturbing discovery. "They noticed that several guns had been stolen," Jones said. Twenty-nine firearms... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Lawyer Loses 30 Handguns to Thieves, Police Remove 170 More
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
23 February 2010
Toronto Police seized about 170 firearms from a Toronto lawyer's downtown home following a break-in, but believe dozens of handguns have been stolen. And investigators fear those guns may already be in the hands of dangerous thugs. Toronto Police say they were called to a fourth-floor apartment on Isabella St., near Church St., around 7:30 a.m. Monday by someone who was looking after the place while the resident, lawyer... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Arizona Gun Maker, Dealer Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling Firearms
Arizona Republic
22 February 2010
A Gilbert firearms manufacturer will cease its gun operations after the company's owner pleaded guilty to illegally selling rifles, shotguns and handguns. Cavalry Arms Corp. says on its Web site that it has been "engaged in an ongoing dispute" with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, for two years over "regulatory and compliance mistakes." But in federal court last week, owner Shawn Nealon admitted... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Queens Assault Weapon Owner Kills Wife, Two Teenage Daughters, Self
New York Times
22 February 2010
Back in November, Dionne Coy-Bailey, an assistant principal, moved out of her Queens home for a few weeks because she found her husband's gun under their bed and feared for her safety, a law enforcement official said. Her fear, it seems, was well-founded. On Monday, the police found Ms. Coy-Bailey and her two teenage daughters dead in their beds. A gun was found on the living room floor at the feet of Ms. Coy-Bailey's husband,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
North Carolina Collector of Assault Weapons Also a Convicted Murderer
ABC News (USA)
19 February 2010
SALISBURY, North Carolina - Authorities have arrested and charged a convicted felon who had a large number of guns at his home in Salisbury. Investigators with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) received a tip that Jessie Sexton was a convicted felon and had several firearms at his home on Jacob Bost Road. Assault rifles, shotguns, handguns, rare and collectible guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Another Philippine Police Officer Charged with Election Gun Ban Breach
Visayan Daily Star (Philippines)
14 February 2010
Another Negrense policeman was arrested for violation of the Commission on Election gun ban in Isabela, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 14, the third in Western Visayas nabbed for the offense, police records show. Chief Inspector Romeo Leyte, Isabela police chief, said the policeman identified as PO1 Generoso Ellera is now being restricted at the town police station. Ellera who was believed to be under the influence of liquor... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Is Barack Obama Really Anti-gun? No, He's Anti-gun Control
Chicago Tribune, Opinion
14 February 2010
Among the many groups that opposed Barack Obama's presidential race, few were more certain or vehement than gun-rights organizations. "Barack Obama would be the most anti-gun president in American history," the National Rifle Association announced. "Obama is a committed anti-gunner," warned Gun Owners of America. So it's no stunner that after a year in office, the president is getting hammered by people who have no use for his policy... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Park Rangers, Public Brace for Gun Ban Reversal in US National Parks
Tulsa World (Oklahoma)
14 February 2010
WASHINGTON -- Officials at Oklahoma's national parks and refuges are preparing for controversial new measures, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, that let visitors carry loaded guns. Approved last year as an amendment to a major credit-card reform bill, the provisions by the Oklahoma Republican take effect Feb. 22. Previous regulations dating back to the Reagan administration allowed park visitors to carry firearms as long... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California Man 'Obsessed with Guns' Stole 6 Assault Weapons from Police
San Francisco Chronicle
10 February 2010
SAN PABLO, California - A San Pablo man described as being obsessed with "tools of warfare" was sentenced Tuesday to more than five years in federal prison for stealing assault rifles and shotguns belonging to the Contra Costa County sheriff's office and the California Highway Patrol. Daniel William Vess, 21, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of a stolen firearm. At a hearing in Oakland, U.S. District Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Congressman Opposes Flood of US-purchased AK-47s for American Wars
Star-Gazette (New York)
9 February 2010
U.S. Rep. Eric Massa said Tuesday he has additional concerns about the use of taxpayer money to buy foreign-made weapons. During his weekly teleconference with media from Washington, D.C., Massa, D-Corning, said the United States over the past six years has become the largest purchaser of Russian and Chinese small-arms exports to equip Iraqi and Afghan forces. "To spend these amounts of monies on Kalashnikov rifles and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenyan TV Crew Buy AK-47 in Turkana, Easily Smuggle It Into Nairobi
Standard (Nairobi)
9 February 2010
Buying a gun and transporting the loaded weapon past numerous police checks without detection has never been that easy. This is what KTN crew proved. Reporters and a cameraman were on assignment in Turkana last week when they managed to not only buy an AK-47 rifle and bullets, but also transport it to Nairobi. The reporters said the weapon was not discovered despite checks on the road from Turkana to Nairobi. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Licensed US Machine Gun Owner Loses 13 Firearms in Domestic Dispute
Milford Daily News (Massachusetts)
9 February 2010
MILFORD, Massachusetts - A Milford man was arrested and police seized more than a dozen of his guns, including an M16 and AK47, after officers went to his home Saturday for a report of a domestic dispute. Paul A. Delaney, 45, of 48 Harvard Drive, assaulted his wife during an argument about the music being so loud that it might wake their kids in the middle of the night, police said. One of the children ended up trying to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Poland
Drugs, Guns, Ammunition Seized, 9 Arms Traffickers Arrested in Poland
Polskie Radio (Warsaw)
8 February 2010
Nine people have been arrested by border guards in southern Poland for arms dealing and criminal activities. The regional prosecutor in Nowy Sacz stated that the group is being charged with dealing in narcotics, arms, explosives and people. The criminal group has been working in the Silesia region since September 2009 and includes a Slovakian citizen charged with bringing illegal arms into Poland. Silesian police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Switzerland
Swiss Army Service Firearms Often Used in Murder/Suicide [Francais]
Journal (Geneva)
8 February 2010
Translated summary: Swiss army military guns are often used in family violence, particularly in murder-suicide cases where a male shooter kills a female partner.] Les auteurs de drames familiaux ont le plus fréquemment recours à une arme à feu. Quant aux armes de service, elles tuent dans un quart des cas, selon une étude de l'hôpital universitaire de Lausanne (CHUV) publiée en janvier. L'étude publiée en janvier... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Estimates 1,077 Illegal Guns Still in Hands of Karimojong
New Vision (Kampala)
8 February 2010
KAMPALA -- About 1,077 guns are still in the hands of the Karimojong, the UPDF 3rd division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, has said. He added that the army had collected 29,923â-guns in the last eight years of the disarmament exercise in Karamoja. "Very soon we shall declare Karamoja free from illegal guns. Then we can embark on integrated development and total pacification of the sub-region," Kankiriho said. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tonga
Tonga Police Seize 34 Illegal Firearms, 'Gang Warfare' Assault Rifle
Matangi Tonga / PACNEWS
4 February 2010
Powerful weapons including a semi automatic assault rifle of a kind used in gang warfare, have been seized by the police in Tonga. And police are urging the public to report the whereabouts of other illegal weapons that may be on the island. Tongan Police Commander Chris Kelley this week put on display some of the 34 illegal firearms that were seized by the Tongan police from various locations in Tongatapu, during the past nine... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lebanon
High Demand for Guns, Lebanon's 'AK-47 Index' May Be Pointing to War
National (Abu Dhabi)
3 February 2010
BEIRUT - Abu Mahdi spends most of his day sitting in a plastic chair in front of a dilapidated concrete block shack on the outskirts of Beirut's southern suburbs puffing on a water pipe and pouring coffee for a steady stream of visitors and customers that have come to examine his inventory. Two of his first customers on a cold winter morning are young fighters in their late teens from the militant Shiite movement Hizbollah who are... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,Mexico
Michigan Man Caught Smuggling Assault Weapons from Texas to Mexico
NBC-25 TV News (Michigan)
3 February 2010
A Michigan man is behind bars in Texas after being caught smuggling guns and bags filled with bulletproof vests into Mexico. U.S. Border Patrol agents spotted Pablo Leyva-Angiano in a car near the Roma International Bridge around 8:15 p.m. Thursday. Court records show that the agents saw two men come from nearby brush, go to the trunk of his and run towards the Rio Grande with two trash bags. The 26-year-old Grand Rapids, Michigan... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Despite Mass Shootings, Pro-gun Bills Continue to Sprout in Virginia
Associated Press
30 January 2010
APPOMATTOX, Virginia - It wasn't unusual for security guard Christopher Speight to build a shooting range on his sprawling property in this rural part of Virginia. And it wasn't out of the ordinary for him to amass a small arsenal of weapons -- from a 9 mm pistol to military-style assault rifles. His daily target practice sessions, which sometimes spilled into the night, didn't concern his neighbors. This is gun country,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Lobby Carefully Chose an African-American for Pivotal Court Case
Chicago Tribune
30 January 2010
From behind the wheel of his hulking GMC Suburban, 76-year-old Otis McDonald leads a crime-themed tour of his Morgan Park neighborhood. He points to the yellow brick bungalow he says is a haven for drug dealers. Down the street is the alley where five years ago he saw a teenager pull out a gun and take aim at a passing car. Around the corner, he gestures to the weed-bitten roadside where three thugs once threatened his life. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Drug Dealers Tool Up with Handguns, Threaten Police in Massachusetts
Eagle-Tribune (Massachusetts)
29 January 2010
HAVERHILL, Massachusetts -- They used to be relatively routine arrests. Police would get a tip from a neighbor that a man was dealing drugs out of his apartment -- not big sales, just enough to be a nuisance in the neighborhood. Officers would raid the apartment, seize the drugs, and arrest the man without a struggle. Case closed. Not anymore. Police said those cases have become more dangerous and complex for the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Assault Weapon Ban Faces NRA Definition Argument in Washington State
King5 News (Washington)
26 January 2010
OLYMPIA, Washington -- State legislators heard arguments Tuesday for and against a ban on assault weapons. The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a bill that would ban military-style assault weapons that can fire rapidly and carry a lot of ammunition. It's sponsored by Sen. Adam Kline of Seattle and faces stiff opposition in an election year. Supporters, including Washington Ceasefire and other gun control groups,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
In Sweep to Seize, Destroy Illegal Firearms, Kenya Police Kill Gun Owner
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
26 January 2010
NAIROBI -- A man was killed and 13 others arrested in a police operation to recover illegal firearms in Trans Mara District. District commissioner Albert Mwiritza said police shot the man who defied orders to surrender and instead fired his gun at the officers. He said an AK-47 rifle and 16 rounds of ammunition were found on the deceased. Among the 13 who were arrested was a taxi driver who was found with nine... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Support for Assault Weapon Ban, Gun Control Lags in Washington State
Associated Press
24 January 2010
OLYMPIA -- After 2009 ended in a hail of high-profile gun violence, Washington state's gun-control advocates are frustrated by an apparent lack of political support for an assault weapons ban, warning that the state will likely face more deadly shootings without it. The bill comes just weeks after a spate of deadly police shootings, and proponents of the ban say those killings should force politicians to confront gun violence. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia
Assault Weapons, Machine Guns Leak from Unattended Military Barracks in Serbia
SEESAC / RTS (Belgrade), Transcript
23 January 2010
Unknown persons stole around 30 automatic rifles and two machine guns from the barracks "Tanasko Raji?" in ?a?ak, which has not accommodated soldiers for years. The RTS confirmed that the unknown persons had stolen around 30 automatic rifles and two machine guns from the barracks "Tanasko Raji?" in ?a?ak, which had not been occupied by the military for years. According to the yet unofficial information, 30 automatic rifles... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,Yemen
Arkansas 'Jihadi Attack' Gun Killer Faces Death Penalty, Cites al Qaeda
Associated Press
22 January 2010
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - A prosecutor said Friday he won't waive the death penalty in the slaying of a soldier outside an Arkansas military recruiting center after the suspect asked to change his plea and claimed ties to al-Qaida. Pulaski County Prosecutor Larry Jegley said he still planned to move forward with the June trial of Abdulhakim Muhammad, who faces capital murder and attempted capital murder charges. Pvt. William Long... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Mentally Ill Hidden Handgun Permit Holder Killed 8 Family in Virginia
Associated Press
22 January 2010
APPOMATTOX, Virginia - There was no school the next day, so 15-year-old Emily Quarles had a friend sleep over. As she and her mother took the friend home the next morning, they became targets for a rampaging gunman. When Emily's father and boyfriend went looking for them, they were slain too. Police say Emily and her parents, Jonathan and Karen Quarles, and her boyfriend, 16-year-old Ronnie "Bo" Scruggs, were among eight people... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Industry Lobbies to Popularise, Sell More 'Sporting' Assault Rifles
ESPN (USA)
20 January 2010
LAS VEGAS -- If Jim Zumbo had the National Shooting Sports Foundation in his corner a few years ago, he might still be the hunting editor of Outdoor Life magazine. Zumbo was literally driven from the temple after expressing discouraging words in his web site blog about the viability of so-called "black rifles" or AR-15-style guns as hunting firearms. Unfortunately, Zumbo expressed his opinions just at the time black rifles were... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Brady Campaign Accuses Obama of 'Running Away from Gun Control'
The Hill (Washington DC)
19 January 2010
President Barack Obama on Monday received a failing grade from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for running away from gun control. The group, which endorsed Obama in 2008, gave him an "F" on every issue it scored, including background checks, gun trafficking, guns in public, the federal assault weapons ban, standing up to the gun lobby and leadership. "It's been a very disappointing year for us, especially considering... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pennsylvania Gun Show Patrons Far Too Honest to Traffic in Firearms
Philadelphia Inquirer
17 January 2010
They began arriving well before the 9 a.m. Sunday opening, cramming the parking lots and forcing latecomers onto snowy fields. At least half the vehicles were pickups, peppered with road salt and bearing such bumper stickers as "Don't blame me, I voted for McCain" and "If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns." When the doors to the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center finally opened, they stepped inside and paid $5 to attend... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Police Chiefs Cite 'Alarming Increase' in Crime Using Assault Weapons
New York Times, Editorial
17 January 2010
The nation's police chiefs are finding an alarming increase in criminals' use of assault weapons -- the high-powered battlefield rifles that used to be banned, back when the federal government showed greater concern for public safety. The 10-year ban expired in 2004, despite the vows of presidential nominees from both parties to fight for renewal. Congress hasn't mustered the guts to try, preferring to roll over for the gun lobby. A... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Hidden Handgun Permits Double, Assault Weapoin Sales Up in Michigan
WLUC-TV6 News (Michigan)
15 January 2010
NEGAUNEE, Michigan - Michigan State Police are reporting that more and more people want to carry a gun. During the 12 month period that ended in June of 2009, the number of applications to carry and conceal a weapon in the state of Michigan more than doubled from the year before. In 2001, Michigan became a "Shall Issue" state. That means the only people denied permits are convicted felons and those with mental illness.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Militias Armed With Machine Guns Outnumber Police and Military
Inquirer Mindanao
14 January 2010
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- There are more members of private armies in Sulu and Basilan than security forces combined, according to a source privy to police matters and operations. There are also more firearms in the two provinces than the actual number of registered voters combined, according to the same source, who was with Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Versoza during inspection and assessment here Sunday.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,Jamaica
New York Traffickers Ship AK-47s, Submachine Guns, Pistols to Jamaica
Gleaner (Jamaica)
14 January 2010
With 14 days into the new year, the island's security forces have seized more than 1,000 assorted rounds of ammunition and at least 27 illegal firearms, including four high-powered weapons and a number of semi-automatic pistols. The cracks in the existing security system at Port Bustamante were tested on Monday, when a Jamaican connection in New York sent a shipment containing 12 illegal guns and more than 700 rounds of ammunition.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Guns Banned to Prevent Philippine Election Violence
The National (Abu Dhabi)
13 January 2010
MANILA // The Philippine government imposes a total ban on carrying firearms throughout the country today in the run-up to the general elections on May 10. As well, police and military units are moving throughout the nation to dismantle private armies in an attempt to keep political violence down. Police and the military have identified between 90 and 132 private armies and have designated more than 500 towns and municipalities... ( gunpolicy.org )
Jamaica,United States
AK-47s, Submachine Guns Smuggled to Jamaican Gangs from New York
Associated Press
12 January 2010
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Authorities in Jamaica have arrested two men and a woman they say helped smuggle 12 high-powered weapons and 700 rounds of ammunition from New York. Police Inspector Jubert Llewellyn says the items arrived inside an air compressor tank. He says a telescopic lens and 28 magazines were also among the items seized at a warehouse Monday. Llewellyn said Tuesday that local police are investigating the case... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Assault Rifles Designed to Kill People, Should be Banned in Canada
Prince George Free Press (British Columbia), Editorial
12 January 2010
There is no doubt. It's not a hunting rifle. The assault rifle undercover police officers purchased on the street in Prince George is menacing. The black metal firearm is exactly what you'll see in Hollywood action movies. It's small and the stock folds up, making it easy to carry and easy to conceal. Looking at it in person leaves no doubt in one's mind that it is lethal. And, that it is not a deer rifle. However, it's not an illegal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Israel
Israeli Soldier's Sentence Doubled for Selling Stolen Army M-16
Israel News
12 January 2010
The Military Court of Appeals decided to aggravate the sentence of a navy soldier convicted of steeling a weapon from his comrade. The soldier was initially sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, but the appeals court doubled his sentence to five years following comments the soldier made to a police agent in prison, stating that he tried to sell the weapon to criminal Zeev Rosenstein. In the summer of 2008, the soldier stole... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Incidents Hurt NBA's Image
Detroit News
11 January 2010
Auburn Hills -- Marvin "Bad News" Barnes played for Pistons teams in the early 1970s nicknamed the "Detroit Hoodlums" because at least four players routinely brought guns into the dressing room for protection. They weren't afraid of teammates, but wanted to protect themselves from the streets of downtown Detroit, which had a bad reputation for crime. Barnes told aol.com he carried an unregistered .45-caliber pistol and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Togo,Angola
2 Arrested, 3 Dead in Togo Team Bus Shooting
BBC News
10 January 2010
Angolan authorities have arrested two people over a deadly attack on Togo's football team at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, state media says. Angola's National Radio reported that two suspects were arrested in the northern province of Cabinda - where Togo's team bus was attacked on Friday. Cabinda has seen a low-level insurgency for many years. Two Togolese officials and the Angolan bus driver were killed... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Tennessee Law Shouldn't be Based on Handgun's Appearance
Tennessean (Nashville), Opinion
10 January 2010
Recent news reports about an individual carrying a legal but uncommon-looking handgun into Radnor Lake State Park raises questions about whether Tennessee's handgun permit laws need to restrict handgun permit holders from carrying certain handguns based on their appearance. I would oppose such legislation and think most of other legislators who support the Constitution would do likewise. The debate arises, in part, because... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq,United States
Security Contractor Weapons, Ammo, Seized in Iraqi Polce Raid
Reuters
9 January 2010
Police raided three locations in Baghdad on Friday, a week after Iraqi authorities were incensed by a U.S. judge's decision to throw out charges against five Blackwater Worldwide security guards accused of killing over a dozen Iraqi civilians in 2007. Officials said they are targeting private security companies that are no longer legally licensed to operate in Iraq. "All those companies with their work permits expired are... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Business Booming at Vegas Machine Gun Range
Forbes (USA), Blog
8 January 2010
LAS VEGAS -- Mining. Cattle-ranching. Machine gun rentals. If you're a Berkeley-bred crunchie that combination is the stuff of nightmares. If you're entrepreneur Billy Conn, however, it's a living. And, thanks to a weak dollar and ever-tightening firearms laws, business at the machine gun range is good. Conn will only say that the privately-held Las Vegas Gun Range & Firearms Center is a "multi-million" dollar business. However... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Disgruntled Worker Kills 4 in St Louis Workplace Shooting
Associated Press
8 January 2010
ST. LOUIS,Missouri - Police on Friday revealed details of the horror inside a plant where a shooting spree left four dead and five injured -- bullet-sprayed walls, trembling workers and a suspect armed with four guns and a fannypack full of ammunition. The head of homicide for St. Louis police said authorities still do not know why an employee of ABB Inc. opened fire at the plant, killing three co-workers and wounding five others... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Licensed Gun Owner Kills 4, Injures 5 in US Workplace Revenge Shooting
New York Times
8 January 2010
ST. LOUIS -- A day after a 51-year-old factory employee went on a horrific shooting spree at his St. Louis company, killing three co-workers and injuring five others before taking his own life with a single shot to the chin, St. Louis police officials were still trying to determine why he did it. "It was a gruesome scene," Capt. Michael Sack of the St. Louis police said at a news conference on Friday. "He fired well over 100 rounds... ( gunpolicy.org )
El Salvador
Military Audits Armouries as Assault Weapons Leak to Crime in El Salvador
La Prensa Gráfica (El Salvador)
8 January 2010
[Translated summary: El Salvador Ministry of Defence will audit its armouries to discover how military weapons are finding their way into criminal hands.] El ministro de la Defensa de El Salvador, David Munguía Payés, consideró hoy que es pertinente hacer una revisión periódica de los inventarios y almacenes de pertrechos de la Fuerza Armada. El funcionario no precisó cuándo se emprenderá una revisión a fin de... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Factory Employee Armed with Assault Rifle, Kills 4, Himself
New York Times
7 January 2010
A factory worker who was suing his employer opened fire Thursday morning at an electrical equipment plant in North St. Louis, killing three co-workers before apparently taking his own life, St. Louis fire and police officials said. Five other people were injured. Armed with an assault rifle, a shotgun and a handgun, the man began his shooting spree in the parking lot and continued inside the ABB Power plant, officials said. . ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Enthusiasts, 'Absolutists' Shoot Blanks Opposing Indiana Police Chief
Indianapolis Star (Indiana), Editorial
7 January 2010
The notion that a new public safety director from the East Coast has come here to disarm law-abiding Indianapolis residents certainly comes as news to Mayor Greg Ballard, who appointed him. The same reaction would appear to characterize the City-County Council, which is scheduled to vote Feb. 1 on whether to confirm Frank Straub. So far so good for common sense. But common sense always is under fire when absolutist opponents... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Boy Killed in Georgia Church by NYE Celebratory AK-47 Bullet
Sydney Morning Herald
5 January 2010
A four-year-old boy has been killed by a falling bullet that was fired into the air during New Year's Eve celebrations in the US. Marquel Peters was playing a video game inside a church in the state of Georgia when the bullet pierced the roof and hit him in the head, local media reported. He collapsed on the floor alongside his parents, bleeding, and was taken to hospital where he died. "I saw his Nintendo game... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,Yemen
US Ramps Up Arms Exports to Yemen, Feeds Established Gun Culture
Inter Press Service News Agency
1 January 2010
UNITED NATIONS - When Yemen refused to vote in support of a U.S.-sponsored Security Council resolution against Iraq during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, a visibly angry U.S. delegate turned to the Yemeni diplomat and said: "That will be the last time you will ever vote against a U.S. resolution." Washington's subsequent retaliation, in the aftermath of that negative vote, was predictable. The United States not only downgraded... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Disney Grandson Faces Prison for Illegal Handguns, Rifle, Assault Rifle
Associated Press
31 December 2009
Patrick Disney Miller, grandson of Walt Disney, is facing some serious prison time. From the Associated Press: Cops say they found 13 handguns, a rifle, an illegal assault rifle and various drugs at the defendant's Woodland Hills home. Thanks to a 2005 drug conviction in Fresno, Miller is barred from owning guns or ammunition, say prosecutors. LAPD officers obtained the search warrant after running a background... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Illegal Guns Seized Frequently as Australian Police Turn Up Heat on Gangs
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
30 December 2009
Hundreds of illegal guns have been seized in Australia recently in a police crackdown on organised criminal groups such as bikie gangs. The confiscated guns range from rifles to pistols. Just where are the guns coming from? Police can't say for sure but there are several likely sources. Brendan Trembath prepared this report. BRENDAN TREMBATH: Police wrap up a raid in the New South Wales southern highlands. Twenty-five... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
LA County Police Gun Buyback Nets 5,334 Weapons, 144 Assault Rifles
Los Angeles Times
30 December 2009
L.A. County's gun exchange program collected 5,337 weapons in 2009, including 144 assault-style rifles. The Sheriff's Department, along with supporters of the Gifts for Guns program, handed out more than $428,100 in gift cards throughout the year at supermarket parking lots around the county in exchange for the guns. "I tell the deputies if it is a gun that could harm one of our deputies, then it is a gun we want off the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
No Right to Bear Unlicensed Machine Guns, Says US Federal Court
Christian Science Monitor
30 December 2009
A former commander in the Tennessee State Guard has lost an appeal to overturn his conviction for trying to provide his soldiers with homemade machine guns for possible use in defending the state. On Wednesday, a federal appeals court in Cincinnati threw the case out of court. "Whatever the individual right to keep and bear arms might entail, it does not authorize an unlicensed individual to possess unregistered machine... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
13 Firearms and a Parrot Stolen From a South Beach Apartment
Miami News Times
29 December 2009
Michael Beasley hobbled up the stairs leading to his second-floor apartment near the southern tip of Miami Beach. On the way home from Haulover Park, the 60-year-old Jacksonville native had purchased a couple of burgers for himself and his beloved green Amazon parrot, Seaweed. Then something startled Beasley. His front door had been pried open. Normally, Seaweed would squawk the greeting, "Hey, how ya doing?" But this time there... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California Felons Found with AK-47, Handguns, Drug and Ammo Cache
San Jose Mercury News (California)
29 December 2009
Specialized teams of Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies swarmed in on a pair of felons, finding in one San Jose home guns, ammunition and piles of drugs with a street value of more than $120,000, a sheriff's spokesman said. Sheriff's Sgt. Rick Sung said the arrests came Sunday morning, after an investigation led them to Philip Straley, 46, in San Jose, and Matthew Colangelo, 34, in Campbell. Inside Straley's home, deputies... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
3000 Firearms to be Destroyed after Northumbria Arms Seizures
The Journal (UK)
28 December 2009
MACHINE guns, rifles and shotguns are among nearly 3,000 firearms taken off the streets of the North East in the past two years, The Journal can reveal today. The weapons are now set to be destroyed. Northumbria Police and Durham Constabulary released details of all firearms confiscated since September 2007 under the Freedom of Information Act. They include examples of the British Army's standard SA-80 assault rifle and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Maguindanao Arms Seizure Recovers Number of Police-Issued M16s
Philippine Daily Inquirer
28 December 2009
MANILA, Philippines -- Several high-powered firearms seized in a series of raids in Maguindanao province over the past weeks were police-issued firearms, Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa said on Monday. In an interview, Verzosa said that of the more than 800 firearms seized throughout the province of Maguindanao during and after the declaration of martial law there, more than 20 were PNP-issued. He... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Six Dead, Three Injured in Kenyan Christmas Assault Rifle Ambush
Cape Times (Capetown)
26 December 2009
Six people were killed and three others injured on Friday night when three men armed with R5 and AK-47 rifles entered a Ngwane house and opened fire, Kwa-Zulu Natal police said on Saturday. According to National Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele, the gunmen entered the house at 11.30pm. "A group of 11 friends were enjoying themselves when the three men entered. They simply opened fire on the group," said Cele. Those... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Cache of Assault Weapons Stolen, Owner Arrested for Illegal Possession
Contra Costa Times (California)
24 December 2009
CONCORD, California - Intruders took a small cache of assault weapons from a house this week, and police made an arrest. The only man they arrested, however, was the homeowner -- for having the weapons in the first place. Police were called to a home in the 1600 block of Allegro Avenue about 2 a.m. Wednesday after getting reports of a home invasion, said police Lt. Garrett Voerge. A roommate told officers that... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Child Shot Dead with Illegal Handgun, How Many Children Must We Lose?
Record (New Jersey), Editorial
23 December 2009
SENSELESS. TRAGIC. This is where we begin in considering the terrible death of 5-year-old Daron Mayes of Paterson. He was playing with a 6-year-old relative at home on Sunday night. The 6-year-old found a loaded handgun - a semi-automatic, which loads a new bullet into the chamber each time it is fired. The child played with the weapon, and accidently shot Daron in the back of the head, police say. Police attempted to revive the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Man Tests Tennessee Law, Totes 'Assault Weapon' in Park, Free to Go
WSMV-TV News (Nashville)
22 December 2009
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Hikers using the trails at Radnor Lake State Park encountered a man dressed in military garb with an altered AK-47 strapped to his shoulder, according to park rangers. Ellen Thomas told Channel 4 News she was hiking the upper trails Sunday when she encountered the man. "He was wearing military boots and a black skull cap," she said. "He didn't look like the friendliest of guys. It... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mexico
Mexican Drug Cartel Shoots Family of Military Man in Revenge for Raid
Associated Press
22 December 2009
MEXICO CITY, Mexico - Assailants on Tuesday gunned down the mother, aunt and siblings of a marine killed in a raid that took out one of Mexico's most powerful cartel leaders -- sending a chilling message to troops battling the drug war: You go after us, we wipe out your families. The brazen pre-dawn slayings came just hours after the navy honored Melquisedet Angulo as a national hero at a memorial service. "The message... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
16 More Murder Charges Laid After Political Mass Shooting in Philippines
Associated Press
21 December 2009
MANILA, Philippines - Government prosecutors filed 16 more murder charges Monday against the member of a powerful clan who allegedly led last month's massacre of political rivals and journalists in the southern Philippines. At least 57 people were brutally killed with guns and machetes, many of their bodies buried by backhoe, on Nov. 23 in southern Maguidanao province. One body remains unidentified, preventing an indictment, but... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Civilians, Reservists Surrender Assault Weapons in Kenya Gun Ban Drive
Kenyan Broadcasting Service
21 December 2009
Residents of Iisiolo district have surrendered 177 assault rifles to the government in a bid to beat the amnesty period deadline. Security personnel have in the past two weeks also recovered 7,939 rounds of ammunition from civilians while Kenya police reservists have handed back 217 guns issued to them by the government. Isiolo DC Mr. James Mwaura commended the residents for surrendering illegal firearms and expressed optimism... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Alaska Felon Ordered Guns on Net, Used Women to Collect from Dealer
Associated Press
20 December 2009
WASILLA, Alaska - Authorities say a 53-year-old Wasilla man amassed a huge arsenal of firearms despite being a felon. Gregory Dale Hayes has been charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. He is accused of possessing 28 firearms, including semiautomatic guns and rifles with high-capacity magazines. He faces up to life in prison if convicted. Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Race to Smuggle, Buy Assault Weapons as Kenya Pastoralists Re-arm
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
20 December 2009
NAIROBI, Kenya -- The demand for automatic weapons in Turkana, Samburu and Pokot has created a huge market and this could explain the recent arms seizures in the country. Fuelled by persistent droughts, the arms race among the pastoral communities in Northern Kenya has intensified in the last decade with almost 95 per cent of households said to own a firearm. A two-decade study of the three communities says that by the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Rebels Pose as Soldiers, Rob Philippine Police of 13 Assault Weapons
Philippine Daily Inquirer
20 December 2009
LUCENA CITY, Philippines -- A band of suspected communist New People's Army rebels disguised as uniformed military men and media attacked a police station in San Narciso town in Quezon province Bondoc Peninsula area Sunday afternoon, police said. Senior Supt. Elmo Francis Sarona, Quezon police chief, said that at around 4 p.m., 25 rebels, some wearing Army camouflage uniforms and carrying high-powered weapons and accompanied by... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Assault Rifle Maker Applauds Bill, Utahns 'Entitled to Any Gun They Want'
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
19 December 2009
Alex Robinson wants his assault rifles on foreign battlefields and Utah gun racks alike, so a proposed Firearms Freedom Act exempting local-only sales from federal regulation isn't a game changer at his Salt Lake City machine shop. Then again, Utah is gun country. Armed self-defense true believers see life and death in every constitutional affront. Many applaud a message bill that would preclude federal regulation of any guns made,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Ban on Bullet-resistant Body Armour 'Unconstitutional' - California Court
Associated Press
19 December 2009
SAN FRANCISCO, California - A decade-old California law that bans possession of body armor by anyone with a violent felony conviction is unconstitutional because the average person wouldn't be able to decipher which types of bulletproof vests are prohibited, a state appeals court has ruled. The law, passed in 1998, was intended to protect police against flak-jacketed criminals such as Lee Boutwell, who fatally shot San Francisco... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mexico,United States
6 Bodies Found, Evidence of Mass Shooting with Assault Rifles in Mexico
Associated Press
18 December 2009
MEXICO CITY, Mexico - Police found six bullet-ridden, decomposing bodies Friday near a highway leading to a Mexican resort on the Gulf of California. The six men were found half-buried on a dirt road off the highway frequently used by tourists from Arizona to reach the Puerto Penasco resort, widely known as Rocky Point, according to Sonora state police. The men's identities and the motive for their killing have not been... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Alaska Gun Owner Amassed Arsenal, Planned 'Something,' Now Faces Life
Anchorage Daily News (Alaska)
18 December 2009
A convicted Mat-Su felon who amassed an arsenal of assault rifles, grenades, flak jackets and weapon silencers has been indicted on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of firearms, according to the U.S. attorney. Gregory Dale Hayes, 53, is facing life in prison on the charge, which is the result of a yearlong investigation by federal authorities that included surveillance of Hayes' home at 6670 W. Hemmer Drive in Wasilla.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Warlord Charged with 40 Murders in Political Mass Shooting
Associated Press
18 December 2009
MANILA, Philippines - The main suspect in the Philippines' worst political massacre, wearing a bulletproof vest and handcuffs, was pushed by guards through an angry crowd Friday to appear at a preliminary investigation hearing. Dozens of Filipino journalists, whose 30 colleagues were among 57 people killed in southern Maguindanao province on Nov. 23, jeered Andal Ampatuan Jr. outside the Justice Department building in Manila and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Police Seize Assault Weapons, 50 Illegal Guns from California Gun Owner
Associated Press
18 December 2009
SANTA CRUZ, California -- The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office says the seizure of more than 50 guns, including one equipped with a grenade launcher, from a local property is the largest weapons haul by deputies in more than a decade. Authorities raided the property on Wednesday, and say in addition to the weapons, they found 100 marijuana plants, about five pounds of pot and nearly $15,000 in cash. Sheriff's officials... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Criminals Pack More Assault Weapons, Powerful Handguns Say US Police
USA Today
17 December 2009
Criminals increasingly are choosing high-powered firearms such as assault weapons, a new survey of 166 U.S. police agencies shows. Nearly 40% of the departments reported an uptick in the use of assault weapons, according to the Police Executive Research Forum, a law enforcement think tank. In addition, half reported increases in the use of 9mm, .40-caliber and 10mm handguns in crimes -- among the same types of weapons that police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Businessman Misses Licensing Deadline, Police Seize Guns
Philippine Daily Inquirer
16 December 2009
TAGUM CITY, Philippines -- A businessman has been arrested for possessing several firearms with allegedly expired licenses and over a hundred rounds of ammunition in New Corella town, Davao del Norte, police said Wednesday. Senior Superintendent Jose Pante, Davao del Norte police director said Ernesto Hechanova, owner of vast rice and fruit farms was arrested after police raided his home in Barangay Mesaoy at 4 p.m. Tuesday, ... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police Seize Illegal Firearms in Conflict-ridden Greytown, South Africa
Mercury (Durban)
15 December 2009
Although 16 unlicensed firearms were recovered in Greytown at the weekend, police believe stability has returned to the conflict-ridden town since the temporary deployment of the National Intervention Unit in June. Police Captain Thulane Zwane said the unit had been deployed after a series of violent incidents before and after the general elections. Several people, including IFP and ANC councillors, were shot and killed... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Man Sprays AK-47, Kills 12yr-old boy Trick or Treating, Gets Minimum
Associated Press
14 December 2009
Quentin Patrick will spend at least the next 16 years in prison because the convicted drug dealer, paranoid of being robbed, answered a Halloween knock on his door with a barrage of bullets from an AK-47, killing a 12-year-old South Carolina boy. But the 16-year, eight-month sentence handed down Monday was just 20 months more than the minimum Patrick could have faced after pleading guilty to a federal charge of being a felon in... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Gun Shop Secures Handguns, Assault Weapons, Foils Ram Raid
Chicago Tribune
13 December 2009
Avon police are looking for four teenagers who used a stolen SUV to smash into a firearms store and steal guns. "It was complete chaos," said Lisa Daughtery, owner of Fort Liberty Firearms. Surveillance video shows how that chaos unfolded early Saturday morning. A stolen, black Ford Expedition slammed through the front door of Fort Liberty Firearms. Seconds later, four males in their late teens, jumped out and grabbed guns.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Illinois Governor Candidates on Hidden Handguns, Assault Weapon Ban
Chicago Tribune
12 December 2009
The Associated Press recently asked candidates for Illinois governor questions about gun-control legislation. Here are highlights of their answers: QUESTION: "Would you sign or veto legislation banning the sale and possession of semiautomatic assault-style weapons in Illinois?" REPUBLICANS -- Adam Andrzejewski: "Would veto a ban on semiautomatic 'assault weapons' in most circumstances. It comes down (to)... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Spate of US Cop Killings Belies 21% Reduction in Gun Deaths Since 1973
Associated Press
12 December 2009
NEW YORK -- A police officer is gunned down in his patrol car in Penn Hills, Pa., while waiting for backup. Near Seattle, four officers starting their day at a coffee shop are ambushed by an ex-con with a handgun. Another four officers are shot to death in Oakland, Calif., after a traffic stop gone awry. Across the nation, 2009 was a particularly perilous year for officers involved in gun disputes. The number of officers killed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Malaysia,Burundi
Malaysia Escapes UN Censure After Officials Scrap Arms Sale to Burundi
Malay Mail (Malaysia)
10 December 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - An attempt by a local company to export some 30,000 assault rifles to Burundi, worth more than RM200 million, nearly caused Malaysia to be censured by the United Nations Security Council, if not for the prompt action by Malaysian officials at the UN body. The Malay Mail learnt that officials from the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the UN in New York had managed to assure the world body that the Malaysian... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Wisconsin Lawmakers Buck National Trend, Tackle Gun Lobby Head On
Cap Times (Wisconsin)
9 December 2009
Earlier this fall, while scanning the merchandise at a state gun show for an antique handgun, longtime gun enthusiast Guy Gorsky took notice of more than the array of potential investment pieces. Based on the attire worn, questions asked and weapons eyed by a group of young men, Gorsky, who attends three or four gun shows a year, had a feeling they were gang members looking to make a quick purchase. "They were only looking... ( gunpolicy.org )
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