United States
Inactive Gun Dealer Makes Buying a New Gun Impossible in Washington, DC
Washington Post
18 July 2008
District residents in the market for handguns could face a long wait -- only one dealer has stepped up so far, and his license isn't active. Charles Sykes Jr. has been selling guns since 1994 to active and retired police officers and security companies out of an unmarked office in Anacostia. But right now his business, CS Exchange, is on hold because he recently changed locations on Good Hope Road SE and his permit needs to be amended.... ( gunpolicy.org )
World, United Nations
Landslide UN Vote Sets Global Gun Control Process Back on Track - IANSA
International Action Network on Small Arms / IANSA, Media release
18 July 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- Campaigners welcomed the resurrection of the UN small arms process today, as states strengthened their commitment to work together to curb the illicit trade in small arms. 134 states voted for the agreement of the Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms. No state voted against it. Iran and Zimbabwe abstained. The agreement provides guidance on several key areas of small arms control, including arms brokering... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Washington's New Handgun Law Imposes America's Most Restrictive Tests
Washington Post
18 July 2008
D.C. police have begun accepting applications from residents who want to register revolvers. Some basics: The Guns - As a rule, the city will accept registration applications only for revolvers, although relatively rare types of semiautomatic handguns are permitted. Most clip-loaded semiautomatic weapons remain banned. - Residents who illegally kept revolvers in their homes during the ban will be allowed to apply... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Buyback Saw 20,000 Guns Destroyed in Pakistan, Shootings Due to Politics
Daily Mail (Islamabad)
17 July 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- Reaffirming its determination to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, Pakistan on Wednesday called for addressing the root causes of conflicts to eliminate a major source of demand for such weapons. "Focus on conflict prevention and dispute resolution is thus a sine qua non for the attainment of the common goals of strengthening peace and security in conditions of economic... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Plaintiff in US High Court Trial Applies for Gun Licence: Denied on First Day
Associated Press
17 July 2008
WASHINGTON -- The plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that overturned Washington's 32-year-old handgun ban was the first to arrive Thursday as the city began registering firearms. But security guard Dick Heller was turned away from police headquarters because he didn't bring his weapon as required. Thursday marked the first day that District of Columbia residents could begin registering or applying for handguns since the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
DC Ends Strictest US Handgun Ban, Begins Strictest US Handgun Licensing
Washington Post
16 July 2008
The D.C. Council unanimously approved emergency legislation last night that ends the strictest handgun ban in the country... The emergency gun bill establishes regulations for residents to keep handguns in their homes legally, an effort to comply with last month's historic Supreme Court decision that found the city's 32-year prohibition of handguns unconstitutional. City leaders say the legislation goes as far as it can... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Opponents of Washington DC's Tough New Gun Law Vow Court Challenge
USA Today
16 July 2008
WASHINGTON -- The doors opened Thursday to post-handgun ban era here, with gun rights advocates vowing another legal challenge to the city's newly approved gun control law. Less than a month after the Supreme Court overturned the city's 32-year-old handgun ban -- the most restrictive in the nation -- the same litigant in the landmark case appeared at police headquarters and said he likely would wage a new fight. Dick Heller,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine
Police Bust Crime Gang Stealing Ammunition from Troubled Ukrainian Depot
BBC Monitoring Service / Kommersant-Ukraina (Kiev), Transcript
16 July 2008
The Ukrainian police have busted a criminal group which was stealing redundant arms and scrap metal from the troubled Novobohdanivka arms depot in Zaporizhzhya Region, a business daily has reported. The following is the text of the report by Yakiv Noskov entitled "Police's high class performance" published by the Ukrainian edition of the Russian business daily newspaper Kommersant on 15 July: It became known yesterday that on 11... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Washington DC Approves New Gun Laws Prompted by High Court Ruling
Associated Press
15 July 2008
WASHINGTON -- The District of Columbia Council approved new firearms legislation Tuesday that will allow residents to begin applying for handgun permits this week. The council's unanimous vote comes as officials try to comply with last month's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the city's 32-year-old ban on handguns. The emergency legislation will allow handguns to be kept in the home if they are used only for self-defense... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations, World
Annual Report Launched at UN: Global Gun Theft, Trafficking, Gun Violence
United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), New York, Media release
14 July 2008
As delegates gathered in New York to consider the implementation of the Programme of Action on the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, the Small Arms Survey 2008: Risks and Resilience, was launched at a Headquarters press conference this morning. The book is the eighth annual review of global small arms issues, which is produced by a team of researchers based in Geneva, Switzerland, and a worldwide network of local... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Global Study Says Civilians Lost 650,000 Guns - About One in 10 Owned
International Herald Tribune / AP
14 July 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- One of every 1,000 civilian-owned guns in the world is lost or stolen and can wind up in the hands of militants in nations like Iraq and Afghanistan, a Swiss institute says in a new survey Monday. Most of the lost guns flow to nations that "rarely engage in some of the most basic verification procedures," said Jurg Streuli, a Swiss diplomat and representative to the U.N. Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Wedding Party Celebratory Shooting Kills Another Passerby in Karachi
International News (Karachi)
13 July 2008
KARACHI -- Two people were killed by stray bullets in separate incidents reported on Saturday in the Gizri and Baghdadi police limits. On Friday night, 35-year-old Mohammed Ashraf was passing through a lane near his house. A wedding ceremony was underway in the lane in the Gizri police limits. A stray bullet shot in the air hit Ashraf, and proved fatal. The police said that the deceased had been working as a cook for the past 15... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pennsylvania Senator Cleared on Perjury, Gun Charges in Death of 14yr-old
Associated Press
12 July 2008
GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania -- State Sen. Robert Regola was acquitted yesterday of charges that he lied about where he stored a gun used in the apparent suicide of his 14-year-old neighbor, who had been caring for the family's dogs while the senator and his wife were out of town. Regola (R., Westmoreland) had been charged with perjury, reckless endangerment, and allowing a minor, his son, to illegally possess the weapon. Prosecutors... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq, United States
Stray Weapons, Careless Gun Handling, Storage at US Embassy, Baghdad
Associated Press
10 July 2008
WASHINGTON -- Trying to escape Baghdad's sweltering summer with a quick Green Zone dip? Don't forget your poolside weapons etiquette if you work at the U.S. Embassy there. Despite previous appeals, embassy employees with permission to carry guns are apparently not heeding strict rules that require arms to be within their reach or with a designated person at all times, even at the pool, The Associated Press has learned. And if you're... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
In Unanimous Vote, Washington DC Passes Bill to End Its Handgun Ban
Washington Post
2 July 2008
With the unanimous support of his 12 D.C. Council colleagues, Phil Mendelson introduced a bill that would end the city's handgun ban and make it legal for residents to keep firearms in their homes without requirements that trigger locks be used or that they be disassembled. The bill is in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week to strike down the ban as unconstitutional and is meant to address the ruling's assertion... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
When US Lawmakers 'Rubber-stamp Whatever the NRA Sends Up'
Palm Beach Post (Florida), Editorial
30 June 2008
Last week, the Supreme Court gave the National Rifle Association a split decision. By a vote of 5-4, the court ruled that firearm ownership is an individual right, even though the Second Amendment links that right to service in a militia. But beyond that rewriting of the Constitution's clear "original intent" that most of the justices in the majority usually stress, the ruling does not mean that anyone can carry a Glock wherever... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Guns for Safety? Dream On, Conservative Justices of the Supreme Court
Washington Post
28 June 2008
The Supreme Court has spoken: Thanks to the court's blockbuster 5 to 4 decision Thursday, Washingtonians now have the right to own a gun for self-defense. I leave the law to lawyers, but the public health lesson is crystal clear: The legal ruling that the District's citizens can keep loaded handguns in their homes doesn't mean that they should. In his majority opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia explicitly endorsed the wisdom of keeping... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Gun Ban Veto Triggers Review of Massachusetts Law
Boston Herald
27 June 2008
Yesterday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down the District of Columbia's 32-year-old ban on handguns will force Massachusetts officials to review the state's gun laws, long considered among the toughest in the nation. In the justices' first major pronouncement on gun rights, the court ruled 5-4 that Washington's ban was incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Stray Bullet from Police Rifle Kills Boy, Shatters TV in Nigerian Sitting Room
Daily Trust (Abuja)
18 June 2008
MINNA -- A 14 year old boy, Abubakar Onifade was killed in Minna on Monday night by a stray bullet from a police officer while watching television in his father's sitting room. Our correspondent gathered that the stray bullet which went through the door of the sitting room hit the boy, an SS2 student of Hill Top Secondary School Minna on the chest and shattered the television screen. It was also gathered that the tragedy... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Police Inspector Shot Her Lover, Self in 'Unpreventable' Murder
Canadian Press
28 May 2008
LONDON, Ontario -- There was no way to predict or prevent a tragic murder-suicide last June involving a London, Ont., police officer and her retired colleague, says a report released Wednesday by an arm's-length committee established by the London Police Service. Acting Insp. Kelly Johnson and retired police superintendent David Lucio had just ended an affair when on June 7, 2007, a "desperate" Johnson shot her former lover and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pennsylvania Gun Shop Robbed Again, 16 More Firearms Lost to Criminals
Beaver County Times (Pennsylvania)
27 May 2008
NEW GALILEE, Pennsylvania -- A cache of firearms was stolen last week in an overnight burglary of a gun shop, Koppel police said. Thieves dismantled an alarm and broke down the door of Guns Galore at 805 Washington St. sometime between 3 and 5 a.m. Thursday, store owner Jeffrey Albitz reported to police. They made off with 16 weapons. About half were handguns; the others were rifles and shotguns, Albitz said. The guns are... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Tasmanian Shooters Lock Up Firearms, Leave Keys, Thieves Take Guns
Hobart Mercury (Tasmania)
27 May 2008
An arsenal of guns has fallen into criminal hands after two brazen robberies at homes in Hobart's northern suburbs. The cunning thieves stole 18 target rifles, hunting rifles and shotguns worth more than $16,500 during recent robberies in Glenorchy and Claremont. In each robbery the thieves ransacked the homes and located keys which enabled them to unlock well-secured gun safes and steal firearms. They also searched... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Thieves Found it Easy to Steal 16 Firearms from Pennsylvania Gun Store
Beaver County Times (Pennsylvania)
27 May 2008
NEW GALILEE -- Two Lawrence County men were charged with possessing firearms stolen from a New Galilee gun shop early Friday. Shane Craft, 20, and Travis Brown, 19, both of 778 Beaver Dam Road, Little Beaver Township, were charged with receiving stolen property and illegal gun possession. Both remained in the Beaver County Jail on Tuesday on $15,000 bond. According to a report written by Beaver County Detective Timothy... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Renewed Growth in Australian Gun Numbers Must Be Tackled Urgently
Sunday Times (Western Australia), Editorial
25 May 2008
If there was anything positive to emerge from the tragedy of the Port Arthur massacre it was that our nation was forced to seriously confront for the first time the issue of gun control. The action that followed was swift with the introduction of tougher national gun laws and a buyback scheme. Understandably, given the atrocities committed by lone gunman Martin Bryant, there was widespread community support for these measures.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Mayor Plans Bylaw to Ban All Private Guns, Anywhere in the City
Toronto Star (Ontario)
25 May 2008
Mayor David Miller wants guns out of Toronto -- and he's backing a tough new bylaw that would ban the manufacture and warehousing of guns in the city. And while Miller says handguns are the particular target of the proposed bylaw, a staff report doesn't distinguish between handguns and rifles and shotguns used in hunting. The bylaw, proposed in a staff report, would give the city zoning powers to restrict or ban the manufacture... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Western Australia Now Has More Guns Than Before Port Arthur Massacre
Sunday Times (Western Australia)
25 May 2008
WA has more guns now than before the 1996 Port Arthur massacre -- a reversal of a near decade-long downward trend in weapon ownership. The jump coincides with a scathing national report, which found many firearms owners were failing to properly store them, including high-powered weapons left unlocked in cases, cars and cupboards. Inadequate security was to blame for more than half the gun thefts in Australia. Also,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Nearly 50 Rifles Seized During Rural Canadian Drug Bust
Saint John Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick)
24 May 2008
HAMPTON -- Police were surprised to find nearly 50 weapons during a raid on a rural Kings County home this week. "The large quantity of firearms were particularly surprising to us,"Acting Sgt. Phil Oliver of the Sussex RCMP told reporters at Hampton RCMP headquarters Thursday. "(With) these types of quantities, there is frequently an association with organized crime. Finding firearms of any quantity is a concern, but when... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Australia's Victoria Police May Buy Safer, New Generation Semi-auto Pistols
Age (Melbourne), Opinion
19 May 2008
Iit is no secret that I have had reservations about introducing semi-automatic weapons into Victoria Police. What is being lost in the debate are the reasons for my long-held concerns. To suggest that I am anti-guns could not be further from the truth. Firearms are necessary for police to carry out their duties. But they are always the last resort. Quite rightly the community expects police to be very cautious in any changes we... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Licensed Canadian Gun Collector Fired Shots in House, Lost 500 Firearms
Canadian Press
15 May 2008
SUDBURY, Ontario -- A 76-year-old Sudbury, Ont., man has agreed to give up his cache of weapons and pay a $1,000 fine on three firearms-related charges. When police entered Georgio Bassetti's apartment on Feb. 29, in they found rooms full of hundreds of weapons, ammunition and six gunshot holes in the ceiling. It took police days to remove all of the weapons found inside the apartment. Assistant Crown attorney... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Indiana 5yr-old Killed 4yr-old Sister with Dad's Gun: Dad Faces 50yrs in Jail
Indianapolis Star (Indiana), Editorial
12 May 2008
The tragic case of the Booher family presents the community with questions that all but defy answering. What punishment is appropriate for a man already grieving over the death of his 4-year-old daughter at the hand of his 5-year-old son? What new laws might prevent such incidents to any significant degree, given the countless armed households, the determination of citizens to have defense weapons at the ready, and a plain... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Georgia Gun Shop Loses 75 Handguns, Assault Rifles to Thieves
WXIA-TV News (Georgia)
5 May 2008
MARIETTA, Georgia -- Police are asking for the public's help after a huge heist from Wild West Traders Gun Shop at 2445 Austell Road in Cobb County. It happened Thursday just before 4:30am. Three men somehow bypassed the alarm system and were captured on surveillance video hauling out 66 handguns, seven assault rifles and two pistol grip shotguns from the racks and display cases. "We're dealing with 75 weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Indiana 5yr-old Finds Parents' Pistol on Top of Wardrobe, Kills 4yr-old Sister
Indianapolis Star (Indiana)
4 May 2008
A 5-year-old boy who climbed to the top of a bookcase and found his father's pistol began playing with the weapon and fatally shot his sister today, police said. Officers were dispatched to the 6000 block of Massachusetts Avenue at 10:03 a.m. "They arrived a minute later to find 4-year-old Makayla Booher on the floor of an upstairs bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head," Indianapolis Metro Police spokesman Sgt. Matt... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
North Dakota Gun Dealers Lost 40 Guns: Most Found in Wisconsin
Grand Forks Herald (North Dakota)
29 April 2008
A man accused of stealing more than 40 guns from two separate Grand Forks dealers pleaded guilty Monday to three counts in federal court in Fargo. Kelly Stenstrum admitted to stealing 34 guns from the Home of Economy store on North Washington Street and taking seven more firearms from Raymond Podell, a private gun dealer on south Columbia Road in rural Grand Forks. The thefts took place about two weeks apart in April 2007. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Florida Wannabe Had Gun 'Arsenal,' Killed Girlfriend in Pistol Safety Lesson
Palm Beach Post (Florida)
28 April 2008
JUPITER -- A man who told police he couldn't believe his pistol fired, killing an 18-year-old woman on Feb. 29, actually had an arsenal of guns scattered throughout his apartment. When police arrived, 26-year-old Thomas Sutton held a Glock 27 in his hand as Brittany Armstrong lay in his living room, dying from a gunshot wound to her head. Just feet away Sutton had a Glock 23 with a tactical light resting on his sofa and a Glock... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
South Carolina Dealer Lost 31 Handguns: Some Found in NYC, Connecticut
Greenville News (South Carolina)
27 April 2008
Richard Shumate says that when he received a call one night about an alarm going off at his Taylors gun shop he didn't know whether it was cause for excitement. "Sometimes it's a false alarm," he said. "I had some boxes fall off the shelf one night and set it off." This time, it wasn't boxes. Shumate said he arrived at Trader's Gun Shop to find two holes in the building and handguns missing. The burglary... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
10yr-old Ohio Boy Found Parents' Handgun, Killed 11yr-old Sister, Say Police
Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio) / AP
10 April 2008
CLEVELAND -- An 11-year-old girl died Wednesday after being shot in the head by her 10-year-old brother, who found a handgun while searching for school clothes in a closet, police said. Andrea Williams was shot Tuesday night at home, said police Lt. Thomas Stacho. She died Wednesday morning at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland. Stacho said the boy pulled the .22-caliber revolver from the closet and asked... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
84yr-old Gun Collector, Doctor, Felon Had 500 Guns in New Jersey Home
Record (New Jersey)
9 April 2008
An 84-year-old man who kept nearly 500 guns, 800 pounds of gunpowder and 75,000 rounds of ammunition at his Ridgefield home pleaded guilty Tuesday to creating a community hazard. Sherwin Raymond had rejected plea offers since his arrest in 2005 and insisted that his stash of rifles and pistols was nothing more than that of a gun enthusiast. On Tuesday, however, after jurors were picked for his trial in state Superior Court... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Collector Had 70 Illegal Firearms, Handguns, Submachine Gun
Regina Leader-Post (Saskatchewan)
9 April 2008
REGINA -- There wasn't any sinister intention behind a fearsome arsenal of guns and ammunition found inside a south Regina home two years ago, a Regina court heard on Wednesday. Instead, the defence told court that Murray Dalrymple Hogg's impressive and varied collection of firearms was a kind of savings plan, an investment for a man of modest means. "This is his Registered Retirement Savings Plan, so to speak," lawyer... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
3yr-old Son of California Sheriff's Deputy Finds Dad's Service Gun, Dies
Sacramento Bee (California)
7 April 2008
A 3-year-old boy -- the son of a Sutter County sheriff's deputy -- died at his Yuba County home Sunday night when he accidentally shot himself with his father's service handgun, according to police. The boy, Tyler Whiteaker, is the child of Sgt. David Whiteaker, 33, an 11-year veteran of the Sutter County Sheriff's Department and himself the son of a retired deputy. Emergency personnel arrived at the home at 9:14 p.m. Sunday,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
3 Year-old Detroit Girl Shoots Herself in the Head with Parents' Handgun
Detroit Free Press (Michigan)
6 April 2008
A 3-year-old girl, who found a gun in a bedroom in her home on Detroit's west side, shot herself in the head this afternoon. Detroit Police said the shooting took place at the girl's home in the 12800 block of Lahser around 2:30 p.m. The girl found the handgun, reportedly owned by one of her parents, and shot herself in the right side of the head. At least one of her parents was home at the time of the shooting. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Denies Selling Guns to Karamojong Pastoralists, Rebels
New Vision (Kampala)
6 April 2008
KAMPALA -- The army has refuted reports that soldiers were selling guns and bullets to Karimojong warriors. The 3rd Division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, said they had set up an armoury committee headed by the division operations and training officer, Col. Paul L'Okech, to ensure there was no misuse of weapons. "We keep record of the guns in the hands of our soldiers whenever they go out for the cordon-and-search operations.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Connecticut 9yr-old Steals Gun, Shoots Father: Dad Faces Gun Charges
WTNH-TV News (Connecticut)
3 April 2008
MIDDLETOWN -- A 9-year old son got his hands on one of his father's guns and now the father faces a list of charges. "They were under lock and key," Joseph Simonelli, of East Hampton, said. When asked how his son accessed the gun, Simonelli said, "He broke the lock." Leaving Middletown Superior Court after posting $10,000 bond, Simonelli insists he is a victim, not a criminal. Simonelli was accidentally shot Sunday... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pennsylvania Gun Control Advocates Undeterred by Another Legislative Loss
Philadelphia Inquirer (Pennsylvania)
3 April 2008
HARRISBURG -- A bill to limit the number of handguns a person could buy to one a month has met its fate -- defeat. Another measure that would have allowed municipalities such as Philadelphia to make their own gun laws -- vanquished. And the push to curb illegal gun trafficking? As of Tuesday evening, shot down. It was the latest loss in the last six months for Pennsylvania's gun-control movement, but nevertheless... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Airways Pilot Was Locking Up Handgun When It Fired, Pierced Cockpit
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia) / McClatchy Newspapers
2 April 2008
WASHINGTON -- The pilot of a US Airways flight headed to Charlotte was putting a lock on his gun when it discharged in the cockpit, a congressman who was briefed by federal security officials said Wednesday. Rep. John Mica of Florida, the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he remained convinced after a briefing from the Transportation Security Administration that the March 22 midair... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Another US 7-year-old Brings Loaded Guns to School, This Time in Baltimore
CNN
1 April 2008
A 7-year-old first-grader showed up at school Monday with two loaded handguns, Baltimore County, Maryland, police told CNN Tuesday. One of the guns was discovered about 10:15 a.m. when it fell out of the student's pocket at Randallstown Elementary School, just outside of Baltimore, police said. The teacher immediately took the student to the office and police were called. After police arrived, they searched the child's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Major US Gun Dealer Risks Losing Licence Amid Security Lapse Allegations
Daily Record (New Jersey)
1 April 2008
LONG HILL -- Sarco Inc., one of the nation's largest wholesale and retail suppliers of firearms and parts, is in danger of losing its state license to sell weapons because of alleged lax security measures. Sarco's state license to operate was supposed to expire on Monday, but a Superior Court judge in Morristown last week extended the license until this Friday, when he said he would hear arguments on whether Sarco owner Charles... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pilot's Gun Fired in US Jet Cockpit 'Because of Cumbersome Safety Rules'
Associated Press
1 April 2008
WASHINGTON -- Armed airline pilots may be at risk of discharging their weapons on planes because of cumbersome rules imposed by Congress and the Transportation Security Administration, a group representing the pilots said Tuesday. A 2002 law prohibits pilots from carrying their guns outside the cockpit without a trigger lock, and as a result they must frequently affix or remove trigger locks during flights. That law and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
So Many Packing Loaded Guns on US Airlines, Someone Bound to Get Shot
Guardian (UK) / Reuters
31 March 2008
CHICAGO -- The recent accidental discharge of a pilot's gun highlights tensions over whether the number of authorized guns aboard U.S. commercial aircraft translates into safer skies. A long list of travelers are permitted by law to carry guns on planes, including federal air marshals, certain pilots and law-enforcement agents traveling for business. Supporters of the practice insist that the presence of armed pilots and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pilots' Union Blames 'Faulty Rules' for US Airliner's Cockpit-piercing Gunshot
Washington Times
28 March 2008
Inadequate handgun rules designed by Department of Homeland Security officials are to blame for last weekend's accidental discharge of a pistol by a commercial pilot during landing preparations, a pilots association said yesterday. "The pilot has to take his gun off and lock it up before he leaves the cockpit, so he was trying to secure the gun in preparation for landing, while he was trying to fly the airplane, too," said David... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Airline Pilot's 'Accidental' Cockpit Gunshot Actually 'Negligent Discharge'
Arizona Republic, Editorial
28 March 2008
On many airline flights, the pilots' checklist for preparing to land includes the stowing of a gun carried by one of the pilots. On Saturday, as a US Airways jetliner approached Charlotte, N.C., something went awry and a gun was accidentally discharged in the cockpit of Flight 1536. The incident has put the unidentified pilot, Tempe-based US Airways and the government's Federal Flight Deck Officer program that authorizes pilots... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada's Former Education Minister to be Sentenced for Illegal Handgun
Toronto Star (Ontario)
26 March 2008
Former education minister John Snobelen shouldn't have to pay for the increase in gun crimes across Greater Toronto, his lawyer said today. But prosecutor Tony MacKinnon said the daily "rolling headlines" involving gun violence is exactly why the former Cabinet minister must to be convicted of a criminal offence. Snobelen, 51, pleaded guilty last year to careless storage of a firearm and possession of a restricted weapon.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Rwanda
New Rwanda Gun Law Promises 5 Years to Life for Firearm Trafficking
New Times (Kigali)
19 March 2008
KIGALI -- The Lower Chamber of Parliament has passed a Bill that criminalizes the illegal possession of firearms. The Bill determines ways of acquisition, possession, carriage, manufacturing, selling, storage and obtaining all types of ammunitions and their accessories. Any person who exposes, lends, gives away or loses a firearm will serve a sentence of one year in prison and a fine of Frw100,000 or both. It also... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Illinois Rejects Handgun Ammunition Microstamping as Crime Busting Tool
Southtown Star (Illinois) / AP
13 March 2008
SPRINGFIELD -- An Illinois House committee on Wednesday rejected the idea of requiring gun owners to use special ammunition imprinted with codes to help police track bullets found at crime scenes. Two other gun-control measures won approval from the executive committee. One allows revocation of gun permits for owners who fail to keep their weapons away from children or people with a serious mental illness. The other tightens... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Nebraskans Cave to NRA, Agree to Trash Local Handgun Licensing Law
Papillon Times (Nebraska) / Midlands News Service
13 March 2008
LINCOLN -- Under pressure from the National Rifle Association, State Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha has rewritten his guncontrol proposal for the second time. In the version he brought to lawmakers Wednesday, Ashford no longer calls for a new commission to identify "inherently dangerous" guns that ought to be banned in Nebraska. "No bill to ban any weapons will pass this Legislature," Ashford said, explaining his aboutface.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Bill to Strip Illinois Parents of Gun Rights if Their Children Misuse Firearms
Chicago Tribune
12 March 2008
SPRINGFIELD -- Parents who repeatedly allow their troubled children to gain access to guns or ammunition would lose their right to own firearms in Illinois under legislation approved Wednesday by a House committee. State officials said the measure would help prevent rare but tragic shootings that happen when unstable or violent kids get their hands on weapons, but opponents said it's not fair to deprive adults of their rights if... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Control - Stated Positions of US Presidential Candidates
Reuters
11 March 2008
Following are the positions of the leading U.S. presidential candidates on gun control. Democrats Sen. Hillary Clinton She has said law-abiding citizens should be able to own guns but laws are needed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. She cosponsored legislation to reinstate for 10 years a ban on assault weapons. The National Rifle Association gives her a failing grade of F for her position on... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Mother, Paralysed by Gunfire, Publicly Begs Her Father to Store His Guns
Los Angeles Times
10 March 2008
Julie Alban still grimaces when she passes her old bedroom. "This is where I crawled down the hallway to call 911," she explains, pushing her wheelchair along the polished wooden floor. "I had to pull my whole body with my arms. My elbows were all bloody." What happened that morning 20 years ago altered the course of her life and set the stage for most of what would come. Though paralyzed from the waist down when... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Gun Homicide, Gun Theft 'Declined Dramatically' After Australian Gun Laws
Age (Melbourne)
8 March 2008
Victorian police are planning a crackdown on gun owners. They are set to check whether 18,000 of the state's registered gun owners have stored their firearms properly. The crackdown comes as gun-related murders and gun theft have declined dramatically since the gun-law reforms after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. New research by the Australian Institute of Criminology shows that the theft of firearms has dropped 72% since... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Man Lets 18mth-old Montana Girl Play with Loaded Handgun, Girl Dies
Missoulian (Montana)
8 March 2008
MISSOULA, Montana -- A 23-year-old Evergreen man was charged Friday with negligent homicide for his role in the shooting death of a 1½-year-old girl. Dwayne Scott Smail appeared in Flathead County Justice Court to hear the charges against him -- charges stemming from Wednesday night's death of a young girl identified as K.W. Bond was set at $200,000, plus appearance, and a hearing was set for March 27 in district court.... ( gunpolicy.org )
New Zealand
NZ Police Glock Pistols Go Missing After Being Couriered to Police Armoury
New Zealand Herald
8 March 2008
Two police pistols have gone missing while being couriered from north of Auckland to Wellington. The police-issue Glock pistols -- sent from Warkworth station in December -- have not yet reached the police armoury in Wellington. "We can't jump to conclusions here. All we can really say is they are missing," said Inspector Tom Ireland, police operations and projects manager. "Whether they have been misplaced or... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
English 'Shocked' as Suffolk Newspaper Reveals 40 Guns Stolen in 4 Years
Ipswich Evening Star (UK)
25 February 2008
More than 40 guns have been stolen in Suffolk in the space of four years, The Evening Star can reveal today. New figures show that between 2003 and last year, 43 guns, including shotguns, rifles and handguns, have been "misappropriated", a term including stolen guns as well as those obtained by fraud or forgery. It is not clear how many of the weapons remain at large on the streets of Suffolk. The alarming figure... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Man Hangs Loaded AK-47 on Wall, Visitor Bumps Wall, 17yr-old Dies
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Georgia)
23 February 2008
Results of an investigation into the shooting death of a 17-year-old high school student, apparently by an AK-47 hanging on a wall Tuesday night, will be turned over soon to Troup County District Attorney Pete Skandalakis for review and presentation to a grand jury. Natorrin Deauntres Brown of LaGrange was pronounced dead by a Troup County deputy coroner at the scene of the shooting at 86 Thornton Road. He had gone with three friends... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago's Annual Attempt to Enact Gun Controls in Face of Firearm Lobby
Chicago Tribune
19 February 2008
Mayor Richard Daley and other elected officials announced their annual push for new gun-control legislation Tuesday, this time using the fatal shootings at Northern Illinois University and the Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park as stark illustrations of the need for action. The package of proposals includes several bills that have been introduced repeatedly in Springfield, before meeting heavy opposition from gun-rights advocates.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Campaign for Loaded Guns in US National Parks 'A Real Looney-Tunes Idea'
Kansas City Star (Missouri), Column
17 February 2008
Every once in a while someone in Washington has a real Looney-Tunes idea that nevertheless gets traction. Often a powerful interest group is behind it, pushing to get it through. And compliant lawmakers go along. So it is with Sen. Tom Coburn's water-boy role for the National Rifle Association. This Oklahoma Republican wants to allow folks to carry loaded guns into the nation's parks. He's introduced legislation... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
India Shaken by School Violence: 2 Gun Deaths Set Huge Nation on Edge
Washington Post
13 February 2008
NEW DELHI -- Two fatal shootings and a stabbing in Indian schools have rattled parents and teachers here, forcing India to confront an issue it had previously known mainly through TV news footage from the United States. While school violence remains rare in India, three attacks since December have led to calls for increased security in schools and for broader control of the more than 32 million guns in civilian hands in India. Television... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
High Risk of Keeping Guns at Home 'Too Lethal To Be Ignored' - US Studies
Baltimore Sun (Maryland), Editorial
5 February 2008
A great deal is not yet known about the horrific quadruple murders in Cockeysville that have led police to charge a 15-year-old honor student with murdering his parents and two younger brothers. But this much is clear: The presence of a gun in the house did not protect the Browning family; it put them at a greater risk of violence. Baltimore County police say Nicholas W. Browning used his father's handgun to kill his family on Friday... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Gun Laws, Firearm Ownership, Licensing and Armed Self Defence in Russia
Moscow News Weekly
31 January 2008
Life in Moscow can be as dangerous as in any large city -- and while street crime may be not as rife as in Rio, Moscow remains far from Oslo in terms of security. Russian law allows citizens and residents to defend themselves from aggressors, while shops in the capital offer a wide range of means of self-defense. For those interested in defending themselves, the legal limits and guidelines on purchasing weapons may look daunting. While other... ( gunpolicy.org )
Japan
Japanese Police Visit, Check 175,000 Gun Owners to Lessen Massacre Risk
Bloomberg (USA)
30 January 2008
TOKYO -- Japan's National Police Agency ordered checks on all registered firearms after two people were shot to death at a gym in southern Japan in December, the Asahi newspaper reported. Police departments plan to complete checks by the end of March, the newspaper reported, without saying who provided the information. Statistics show about 175,000 people in Japan had permits to own about 340,000 firearms as of 2006, the newspaper... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Iraq
US Still Can't Track, Trace, Prevent Diversion of Weapons Sent to Iraq
Associated Press
29 January 2008
WASHINGTON -- Weapons the U.S. provides to Iraqi security forces may still be ending up in the hands of terrorists, insurgents and criminals, the Defense Department inspector general told Congress on Tuesday. While U.S. commanders have made progress in controlling the flow of tens of thousands of munitions into Iraq, "there still remains work to be accomplished," Claude Kicklighter said in prepared remarks obtained by The Associated... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Nigeria Vows to Punish Army Officers Who Sold Hundreds of Assault Rifles
Vanguard (Lagos)
17 January 2008
LAGOS -- The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf, has vowed that none of the army officers found to be allegedly part of the syndicate that stole arms and ammunition from the Army Central Ordinance Depot in Kaduna, will go unpunished. Fifteen officers, including three Colonels, are currently facing trial at a court-martial in Kaduna over the disappearance of hundreds of AK-47 rifles, GPMGs and ammunition boxes from... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Nigerian Army Officers Sold Hundreds of AK-47s, Machine Guns to Rebels
Vanguard (Lagos)
14 January 2008
Fifteen army officers, three of them Colonels, are currently facing a court martial in Kaduna over alleged disappearance of a large quantity of arms and ammunition from the armoury. Also facing trial are two Lieutenant-Colonels, a Major and nine Non-Commissioned Officers. Large sums of money are also alleged to have been found in the accounts of some of the accused persons. The weapons were allegedly removed from... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Florida Man Arrested for Allowing 6yr-old Daughter Loaded Gun Under Pillow
WPLG-TV News (Florida)
8 January 2008
PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida -- A Florida man was taken into custody after police said he allowed his 6-year-old daughter to sleep with a loaded gun under a pillow. Robert Lee Johnson was charged with suspicion of child abuse and domestic battery. According to an arrest report, Johnson told authorities that he owned a gun because he "watches too much CNN." The report said that authorities were called to a home because... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Owner's U-Haul Unit Arms Criminals with 50 Guns, 2,000 Rounds
Lodi News-Sentinel (California)
8 January 2008
When Kenneth Warren moved to San Joaquin County to take care of his elderly parents, he wanted to make sure his gun collection was safe. He kept about 50 guns and as much as 2,000 rounds of ammunition in a double-walled, fireproof safe that, when empty, weighed 1,300 pounds. He moved it into a climate-controlled metal and concrete storage unit at U-Haul in Lodi. And he even got a second-floor storage unit for added security. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Universal Gun Registration in Australia Brings Sharp Decrease in Gun Thefts
Herald Sun (Melbourne) / AAP
24 December 2007
The latest figures show about 1500 guns a year are stolen in Australia, and authorities fear many of them will be used to commit more crimes. The Australian Institute of Criminology also revealed that about one-third of gun owners who were victims of theft in the year to June 2006 had failed to store their guns securely. In a new report, Firearms Theft in Australia 2005-06, the federal agency said 1445 firearms were stolen... ( gunpolicy.org )
Japan
Japan's National Police Urge Gun Owners to Store Weapons with Dealers
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)
23 December 2007
Responding to the shooting rampage at a sports club in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Dec. 14, the National Police Agency told the Metropolitan Police Department and prefectural police headquarters Friday to urge owners of hunting guns and air rifles to deposit their guns at gun dealers instead of storing them at their homes. According to the NPA, about 175,000 people were licensed to own about 339,000 shotguns and rifles for hunting... ( gunpolicy.org )
Japan
Licensed Gun Owner Kills 2, Shoots Himself at Japanese Sports Club
Agence France Presse
16 December 2007
TOKYO -- Japanese media called for tighter gun-control laws on Sunday following a deadly shooting at a sports club, which sent shockwaves through the country in which gun crimes are emerging. "We feel fear that (Japan) has turned out to be a gun society like the United States," the Yomiuri Shimbun said in an editorial. "A gun was pointed at random at the ordinary public. It was an unprecedented crime in Japan." "It is necessary... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Convicted Canadian Gun Lobbyist Prepares for Jail, Martyrdom for Cause
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
12 December 2007
Staring down the barrel at a prison sentence on 26 firearms related offences, Canada's most outspoken crusader against Bill C-68 and the federal Firearms Act, Bruce Montague, has laid the foundation to bring his fight to the Supreme Court. Montague was recently found guilty on half of 53 charges he faced in Kenora court. Without being convicted on at least one charge, he wouldn't be able to challenge the law. "Without a... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Indian Boys Steal Dad's Legal Handgun, Shoot & Kill Fellow 14yr-old Student
BBC News
11 December 2007
A schoolboy has been shot dead by two fellow students at a school campus near the Indian capital Delhi, police say. The 14-year-old was killed instantly after being fired on at the private Euro International school in the suburb of Gurgaon, police said. Gurgaon police commissioner Mahendra Lal told the BBC that two boys had been taken into custody. Incidents of gun crime at schools and colleges in India are very... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Despite Heavy Court Loss, Canadian Gun Lobby Martyr's Beliefs Unswayed
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
7 December 2007
After less than a day of deliberations, the jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday on 26 of more than 50 firearms related charges faced by Bruce Montague. Montague sat in the defendant's chair holding his 16-year-old daughter's hand over his shoulder as the foreman read the verdicts. His sister sat behind him, rocking back and forth, with a tissue to her eye. Donna Montague was found guilty on one of the three charges... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Owner of AK-47 Used in Omaha Mall Mass Shooting was in Thailand - Police
Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska)
7 December 2007
The owner of the AK-47 used in Wednesday's Von Maur killings was in Thailand during the shootings, Omaha police said. Robert Hawkins took the gun from the Bellevue home of his vacationing stepfather, Mark Dotson, police spokesman Bill Dropinski said. On Friday, a MySpace page belonging to Dotson showed him holding what appeared to be an AK-47. The page showed a man named "Mark" holding the rifle across his chest.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Jury Retires as Canadian Gun Lobbyist Faces Nearly 50 Firearm Offences
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
6 December 2007
The nine men and two women charged with determining the outcome of Bruce and Donna Montague's criminal trial on firearms-related offences have been sequestered to decide their verdict. Justice John Wright wrapped up his charge to the jury Wednesday afternoon and released them to make their decision on Bruce Montague's nearly 50 firearms-related charges and Donna's additional three. Wright instructed the jury to exercise... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Gun Lobbyists' Criminal Defence All Based on Red Herrings
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
5 December 2007
Assistant Crown attorney Peter Keen made his closing arguments to the jury that will decide the outcome of Bruce and Donna Montague's criminal trial Tuesday. He began his address by saying the defence's argument is based on red herrings, saying the missing money doesn't matter, ignorance of the law is not a defence, the registrations Montague presented were not valid and his defence based on right to property doesn't apply. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Caribbean, United States
Caribbean Nations, US Pledge to Combat Illicit Gun Trafficking in Region
US State Department (Washington, DC), Media release
3 December 2007
Today, the United States and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States pledged to enhance regional cooperation to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in the region. Illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons poses a serious threat to the security of the Western Hemisphere because this thriving black market provides weapons to terrorist groups, drug traffickers, gangs, and other... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Teen Kills 4yr-old Sister With Jail Guard Mother's Duty Handgun
Chicago Sun-Times
3 December 2007
CHICAGO HEIGHTS -- A 4-year-old Chicago Heights girl was shot and killed early Sunday by her teenage brother, who was handling a gun owned by their mother, a Cook County corrections officer. Chicago Heights police and the Cook County sheriff's office said the mother was working at her job as a jail guard when the shooting was reported at 5:43 a.m. at her home in the 400 block of West 15th Street. The gun involved in the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Caribbean, United States
US, Caribbean Nations Agree to Pool Gun Control Efforts, Curb Trafficking
Miami Herald / AP
3 December 2007
WASHINGTON -- The United States and members of the Caribbean Community have agreed to pool their efforts toward combating the smuggling of small arms, light weapons and ammunition within the Western Hemisphere, the U.S. State Department said Monday. Officials agreed to improve import and export controls; promote the tracing of recovered firearms and ammunition; advocate the destruction of obsolete and excess national stockpiles;... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Trial of Canadian Gun Lobbyist Continues: Forensic Scientist Testifies
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
22 November 2007
Bruce Montague's criminal trial on weapons related offences continued Wednesday with expert testimony from the Centre of Forensic Sciences. Crown witness John Paul Menard, senior forensic scientist at the centre in Toronto, tested more than 20 weapons recovered from the Montague home. One by one he identified and described weapons he tested -- riffles, hand guns and a cross-bow -- and classified them as non-restricted,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Gun Lobbyist Had Illegal Firearms in Hidden Room at Home: Police
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
21 November 2007
During cross-examination of Const. Andrew Bulmer in a Kenora courtroom Tuesday, Bruce Montague's lawyer Doug Christie attacked the credibility of an OPP search of a hidden room in Montague's home. Bulmer said he and another officer counted $405 American and $2,105 Canadian dollars, money recovered from the room. Christie suggested there was well over $3,000 and presented a photo showing a sum of money in a large paper clip, with... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Crown Continues Case Against Canadian Gunsmith, Gun Lobbyist
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
20 November 2007
Day four of Bruce Montague's trial on 53 weapons-related charges continued in a Kenora Superior courtroom Monday with the Crown presenting its next three witnesses. Const. Glen Fraser, who's testimony was cut short last week pending a decision whether literature found in a hidden room in Montague's basement would be admitted as evidence, returned to the witness box to identify the literature, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US NRA Gun Safety Instructor 'Devastated' After Grandson, 8, Shot Sister, 6
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
20 November 2007
MARNE -- Stephen Larson prided himself on his gun safety and firearms training. But today, friends say the Marne man remains devastated as his 6-year-old granddaughter recovers from a critical gunshot wound that occurred in his home at the hands of his 8-year-old grandson. Zara Rose Haight, 6, was listed in critical condition at DeVos Children's Hospital after the weekend shooting, which police say was accidental. The girl... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Michigan 8yr-old Uses NRA Safety Instructor's Gun to Shoot 6yr-old Sister
Grand Haven Tribune (Michigan)
19 November 2007
WRIGHT TOWNSHIP -- Police say an 8-year-old boy accidentally shot his 6-year-old sister Saturday at their grandparents' home. The Allegan County girl was listed in critical condition Sunday night after being shot in the abdomen with a handgun at around 2:55 p.m. at the home, 2036 Hayes St. in Marne. "Anytime anyone is shot it's a tragedy," said Sgt. Bill DeWitt of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department. "We do have our... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Neighbour Latest to Testify in Trial of Canadian Gunsmith, Gun Lobbyist
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
19 November 2007
Nine firearms recovered from Bruce Montague's Eton-Rugby home had been de-registered and noted as exported, according to testimony on day three of Montague's trial on weapons-related criminal charges. Richard Dvorski worked for the firearms registry until 2006 and signed the affidavits stating neither Montague, his wife Donna or his business, Monty's Gunsmithing, had valid licences or registrations after September of 2004. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Gun Lobbyist 'Visibly Subdued,' Facing Court for 53 Gun Crimes
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
15 November 2007
After years of delays, Bruce and Donna Montague were brought before a jury Wednesday to face weapons related charges dating back to 2004. Answering to 53 charges, including the unauthorized possession and careless storage of non-restricted firearms, explosives and restricted firearms, Bruce Montague was visibly subdued and lacking the confidence he carried through his constitutional challenge, which was dismissed last week by Justice... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Australian Police Seize Licensed Owner's 'Arsenal' in Gun Smuggling Raid
Australian Associated Press
14 November 2007
A large cache of weapons and ammunition has been seized by police in a raid on a Gold Coast home today. Australian Customs investigators and police found 35 legally-held military firearms, three unregistered bolt-action rifles, one military SLR assault rifle, a Skorpion machine pistol, a crossbow pistol and a "substantial amount" of ammunition. All the weapons were being incorrectly stored in a garage at the unit complex,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Finnish PM Seeks Firearm Regulation Probe After School Gun Massacre
International Herald Tribune / AP
11 November 2007
HELSINKI, Finland -- Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen has called for an investigation of the country's firearms regulations following a shooting in which an 18-year old student killed eight people and himself, he said Sunday. Vanhanen told Radio Suomi he wanted to see whether it is possible to prohibit licensed owners from bringing guns home with them from shooting clubs. He suggested firearms could be kept instead... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Finnish PM 'Surprised' at Killer's Easy Gun Access, Mulls Tougher Controls
Reuters
11 November 2007
HELSINKI -- Gun policies will be reviewed in Finland after its deadliest school shooting where a student shot eight people, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said on Sunday. Pekka-Eric Auvinen, who killed six fellow students, two staff members and himself on Wednesday at the Jokela high school, obtained a licence for a .22 calibre handgun through a gun club last month. "It was an unfortunate surprise for me that one can get... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian School Hid Handgun Seizure: 13yr-old Had Assault Rifles at Home
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
18 October 2007
VANCOUVER -- Parents in Surrey, B.C., were shocked to discover yesterday that their children's high school waited five days before notifying them that a 13-year-old boy came to school with a 9 mm handgun and ammunition in his backpack. Ken Hignell, principal of Johnston Heights Secondary School, notified parents in a one-page letter late Wednesday. "I want to inform you about an incident last Friday at our school where a gun was... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
13yr-old Canadian Boy Took Pistol to School, Had Access to Assault Rifles
Canadian Press
17 October 2007
SURREY, British Columbia -- A 13-year-old Surrey, B.C., boy will be appearing in Youth Court after a handgun and ammunition were found in a student's backpack at Johnston Heights Secondary. RCMP say they were called to the Surrey high school last Friday after a staff member was advised to approach a student, and located the weapon after a check. The nine-millimetre handgun was not loaded. After the youth was taken... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Nashville Police Say 14yr-old Took Gun from Home, Robbed, Killed 70yr-old
WTVF-5 TV News (Nashville)
11 October 2007
NASHVILLE, Tennesee -- A 14-year-old charged with the shooting death of a 70-year-old East Nashville store owner allegedly got the gun from his home, according to Metro police. On Tuesday, police arrested eighth grader Rodzell Mason, 14, for Monday afternoon's murder of Cahal Market owner Classie Wilson. Held juvenile detention, Mason was charged with criminal homicide. Mason lives with his aunt in East Nashville. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Accidental Gun Deaths Among US Children 'Rarer Than Most People Believe'
Fox News (USA), Opinion
10 October 2007
Should your doctor ask your child if you own a gun? Guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatric say "yes." They warn that "Children are curious even if they've had some sort of firearm training. That's why parents taking responsibility for safe gun storage is so essential." Doctors across the United States are being advised to interrogate children about mom and dad's "bad" behavior. It sounds... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Australia Loses 32 Military Machine Guns, Rifles, Pistols: Tightens Security
New Zealand Herald / AAP
26 September 2007
CANBERRA -- The Australian Defence Force has tightened up weapons storage after it was found that anti-tank rocket launchers and other weaponry had been stolen and lost. Among the changes will be a two-person policy, prohibiting unsupervised access by any soldier to any Defence weapons, explosive and munitions store. Defence also will create a special weapons and munitions security section within the Defence Security Agency... ( gunpolicy.org )
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