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BB guns, airsoft and gun control in the media
UK Plans Changes to Airgun Laws but Clubs Fight Back
21 May 2013
Courier (UK)
An airgun club chief has hit back in the row over proposed new licensing.
Kathleen Male, chairwoman of Tayside Airgun Club, said they don't have any problem with a fair licensing system but they do object to the Government's proposals.
She said: "We still do not agree there should be greater restrictions where airweapon owners can shoot as there are adequate laws, at present, in place, restricting where they may be used, and, on the street of a town or city is not one... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia,Afghanistan,Israel,Belgium,United States
How Video Games Fund Arms Manufacturers and Sell Guns
31 January 2013
EuroGamer
The American confectionery company Victoria Sweets claims to have invented the candy cigarette. A thin stick of chocolate, wrapped in edible paper and designed to impersonate a roll-up, it debuted in 1915 and soon became the accessory of choice for children keen to play grown-up. Hollywood star, GI Joe, team captain: the sweet gave kids the chance try out one of the vogue props of adulthood.
Within 20 years it was so popular that cigarette companies began to take... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Teen Dies in Airgun Shooting, Lobby Says No Law Change Needed
14 January 2013
Radio New Zealand
A post-mortem has revealed an 18-year-old killed in an airgun accident in Auckland was shot through the heart.
Shaun Townsley was fatally shot while he and a group of friends were drinking and firing air rifles and air pistols at cans at his home in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa on Saturday evening.
Police say the shooting appeared to be accidental but an investigation is looking at whether charges relating to careless or dangerous use of a firearm should be... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland Govt Group Calls for Stricter Gun and Airgun Storage Rules
3 December 2012
YLE (Finland)
A Ministry of the Interior working group has proposed stricter conditions and clarifications to current legislation concerning the use of firearms. If the proposals are accepted, all firearms and accessories will be kept under lock and key.
Current legislation demands that guns be kept under lock or that gun components should be kept in a separate location than the actual weapon.
Owners of particularly dangerous firearms or five individual guns will have to purchase... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesia Man Arrested For Illegal Gun Possession
24 November 2012
Jakarta Post
A gold miner identified as MA, 21, was arrested on a beach in Nabire, Papua, for possessing an illegal firearm, a magazine and 12 bullets during a raid conducted by Papua Police on Friday at around 9:30 a.m. local time.
"We are still investigating how he [MA] got the weapon and the reason why he had the gun," said Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen Paulus Waterpauw on Friday.
This is the second arrest after police nabbed two civilians, HE and AN, in Manokwari, West... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Youths Arrested over Illegal Airgun Shooting
2 November 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Police have issued a warning about the illegal use of replica guns after a teenager used one to shoot plastic bullets at members of the Liberal party in the canton of Valais.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Sierre when a youth in a car driven by a friend used an "airsoft" gun to fire on party members assembled outside a restaurant for a meeting, Valais cantonal police said.
Four people were injured by the plastic bullets, some in the face and one in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesian Men Arrested for Alleged Unlicenced Replica Gun Selling
22 October 2012
Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Police arrested two men accused of selling unlicensed airsoft guns on social networking sites last week.
The men, identified only as "D" and "A.G.," were stood next to a table of realistic-looking airsoft guns in a press conference on Monday.
Police seized 187 airsoft guns, including replicas of pistols and assault rifles, in the raid.
"They sold the guns at fairly low prices, from Rp 3 million ($312) to Rp 6 million for the [assault rifles]," Jakarta... (GunPolicy.org)
Four Germany Children Injured in School Airgun Shooting
10 October 2012
Local (Germany)
Four children were injured in the eastern German state of Thuringia on Tuesday when air pistol shots were fired into their classrooms from a building opposite. Three suspects have been arrested.
Police investigations indicated that the shots had come from a flat in a residential block close to the Johann Gottfried Borlach school in the small town of Artern, where a 21-year-old female tenant and two men were promptly arrested.
The main suspect was one of the two men, a... (GunPolicy.org)
English Bar Owner Escapes Jail After Threatening Customers with Airgun
20 September 2012
Daily Mail (UK)
An English landlord who produced a gun after a row with customers at his village pub in Wales when they ordered their drinks in Welsh has escaped jail.
Gareth James Sale, 26, had denied possessing a firearm - an air rifle - with intent to cause fear of violence at the Royal Oak, Penrhyndeudraeth in the early hours of June 18 last year, but admitted the lesser charge of possessing a firearm in a public place.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard the row started after Sales'... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Permits Still Issued too Frequently in Indonesia
7 May 2012
Jakarta Globe
Indonesia's National Police will continue to grant civilians gun permits, despite calls from lawmakers for stricter gun regulations after a series of headline-grabbing reports cast doubt on public safety.
The National Police have issued more than 25,000 gun permits to civilians since 2009, not counting the 10,154 permits for guns that fire rubber bullets and 5,810 permits for airsoft guns, according to National Police spokesman Ins. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution.
Critics... (GunPolicy.org)
Moscow Bans Airgun Ammo in Attempt to Enforce Firearm Registration
13 November 2011
Moscow Times
Ammunition for air guns has disappeared from the city's specialized stores, apparently on verbal orders from a police force that has long frowned upon people buying — and often abusing — non-lethal firearms.
Although officially blamed on red tape, the disappearance of the ammunition is actually part of an Interior Ministry campaign to ban air guns across the country, Izvestia reported Friday.
Such an unofficial ban would amount to abuse of power, a pro-gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Airguns Allowed into Canada Easily Converted into Real AK-47, Police Say
20 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The RCMP are racing to track down and seize hundreds of replica AK-47 BB guns imported from China that investigators fear can be easily reconfigured into deadly prohibited weapons.
The Mounties launched raids and seizures last week on a number of gun stores in B.C., Ontario, and Quebec. Investigators believe the toys — assembled with authentic parts from the Chinese Type-56 version of the AK-47 semi-automatic assault rifle — can be transformed into weapons with a... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealer Trapped After UK Police Set Up Fake Shop in Manchester
4 October 2011
Manchester Evening News (UK)
A gun dealer was trapped after police set up a fake shop selling combat clothing.
Undercover cops posed as shop workers who were looking for lethal weapons in the elaborate sting.
The store was set up after police became concerned at the number of firearms on the streets of Manchester.
After weeks at the store on Princess Road, Moss Side, a gang member customer introduced the plain clothes officers to Marc Billingham, who supplied them with two working guns, an air... (GunPolicy.org)
Cayman Island Man Gets 9yrs Jail for Possession of Unlicensed Gun
11 July 2011
cayCompass.com (Cayman Islands)
Richard Joseph Parsons, 22, was sentenced on Thursday to nine years' imprisonment for possession of an unlicensed 12-gauge Remington shotgun. Defence Attorney Kerrie Cox told the court Parsons found the gun and kept it because there had been a shooting in his neighbourhood and his own residence had been burgled twice.
He submitted there were exceptional circumstances in this case that would not require the court to impose the otherwise mandatory minimum sentence of... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Considers Import Ban on Military Weapon Airgun Lookalikes
23 June 2011
New Zealand Herald
A proposal banning imports of airguns that look like the military weapons will have little impact on the the number available or on criminals using them to intimidate people, parliament has been told.
The Arms (Military Style Semi-automatic Firearms And Import Controls) Amendment Bill would ban importing airguns that look like real pistols, military-style semi-automatics (MSSAs) or restricted weapons - unless a police permit is granted.
The bill, which is before the... (GunPolicy.org)
Imitation Guns for Real Robberies in France: Loopholes in the Law? [Francais]
14 June 2011
L'Express (France)
[Translated summary: An increasing number of robberies and attacks are committed with imitation guns. One of these even lead to the death of a young man, when police shot the 19yr-old boy thinking that his imitation gun was a real gun. However, amendments to the French Law on this matter keep on being delayed.]
Un nombre croissant de braquages et d'agressions sont commis avec des armes factices. Pourtant, la loi tarde à s'adapter à ce phénomène.
Le 23 février... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles Police Department Seeks Tighter Regulations on Airguns
7 June 2011
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck is proposing that the city require BB-gun replicas of actual firearms to be brightly colored so that police officers don't mistake them for real weapons.
The proposal, which the Los Angeles Police Commission will consider Tuesday, comes after two shootings involving officers and people with replica weapons, including one in which a teenager was wounded. Under the new rule, all such toys sold in Los Angeles would have the "entire... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealers: NZ New Laws on Imports of Imitation Guns Will Be Ineffective
14 May 2011
3 News (New Zealand)
The owner of the country's biggest gun store says new rules aimed at restricting imports of airguns which replicate the real thing will do little to reduce crime.
An amendment to the Arms Act will mean people who import replica airguns must first obtain a permit from the commissioner of police.
David Tipple imports around 10,000 airguns every year and he now fears around 20 percent or 2,000 of those guns will require a permit before he can bring them in.
"Under the... (GunPolicy.org)
Colorado Columnist: 'Children Are the Future of Our Gun Culture'
13 May 2011
Denver Post (Colorado), Column
Now that you have askedand you know who you are — the fourth- grader in Lakewood who this week shot at least six of his classmates with a BB gun while the teacher was looking away deserves the punishment coming to him.
That said, kudos to the Lakewood Police Department for not rushing into the school, wrestling the kid to the ground, maybe pepper-spraying him, handcuffing him and hauling him out like so much rough lumber.
Instead, the officers arrived calmly and... (GunPolicy.org)
Airgun Shooting of 6 Students: Colorado 10yr-old Faces School Expulsion
11 May 2011
The Washington Post / AP
LAKEWOOD, Colorado — Police in a Denver suburb say a 10-year-old boy accused of shooting six classmates with a BB gun is due in court next month to face misdemeanor charges.
Lakewood Police spokesman Steve Davis alleges the fourth-grader at Stein Elementary shot his classmates Monday while the teacher wasn't looking. Davis reported no serious injuries.
Davis says the boy was arrested on suspicion of assault and launching dangerous missiles that can cause injury, but... (GunPolicy.org)
Airgun Target Shooting Fueling Gun Control Law In Pennsylvania
2 May 2011
Delaware County Daily Times (Pennsylvania)
PARKSIDE — A proposed gun-control law that was defeated by a 5-2 council vote in September will be on the agenda again for discussion and another vote at the May 25 council session.
Under the heading of Ordinance 495, the tabled proposal reads: "It shall be unlawful and it is hereby prohibited for any person or persons to discharge any shotgun, rifle, gun, pistol, revolver, BB gun, or other firearms in the pursuit of game or for the purpose of amusement for himself... (GunPolicy.org)
Imitation Handguns, Assault Weapons Face New Zealand Import Curbs
15 April 2011
New Zealand Press Association
The Government is to tighten import controls on airguns that look like real pistols, military style semi-automatic firearms (MSSAs) or restricted weapons.
Police Minister Judith Collins said replicas were frequently used by criminals as they were easily mistaken for real firearms.
"Police estimate that there could be up to one incident a week where a member of the public presents an airgun that looks like a real pistol, MSSA, or restricted weapon requiring an armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Playing with Air Rifle, North Carolina 4yr-old Shoots, Kills His 7yr-old Brother
28 February 2011
WITN-TV News (North Carolina)
Two children playing with a loaded air rifle has ended with one of them dead.
Wilson County deputies say 7-year-old Alejandro Mejia and his younger brother were playing outside their home with the rifle Friday night.
Authorities tell WITN News the air rifle in question is a Daisy Powerline 35 and can shoot both BBs or pellets. It is still not known whether BBs or pellets were in the gun.
Sergeant Wanda Samuel says the parents knew the children were playing with the... (GunPolicy.org)
Granddad Fiddles with Airgun, Kills 8yr-old Grandson in North Carolina
24 February 2011
News & Observer (North Carolina)
RALEIGH - Police are urging young people and their parents to be careful with firearms after a pellet gun accidentally went off this week, killing an 8-year-old boy.
Police are particularly concerned about guns on which the safety mechanism is located next to the trigger. Ty-Rion Jayele Henry's grandfather was attempting to put the safety on a pellet gun when he accidentally hit the trigger, shooting Ty-Rion in the eye Monday.
He was pronounced dead Tuesday after he... (GunPolicy.org)
In Thankgiving Prank, Vermont Man Fires 'Airgun' at Friend, Kills Him
26 November 2010
Daily Mail (UK)
A man has shot and killed his best friend in what police say was an apparent prank that went horrifically wrong.
The 23-year-old from Vermont tried to prank his sleeping friend by waking him up with the startling sound of an air rifle.
But the alleged shooter mistakenly used a real rifle police said.
Nicholas Bell was charged with manslaughter after the incident yesterday.
Manchester police said: 'The accused fired the weapon which was loaded with a .22 cal rifle... (GunPolicy.org)
Powerful Airguns Now Only Legal for Licensed New Zealand Gun Owners
15 October 2010
New Zealand Press Association
Police have welcomed a law change which means people must have a firearms license to own the type of air rifle used to murder police undercover officer Sergeant Don Wilkinson.
The law change comes after the Government moved to reclassify pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air rifles after they were used in the Auckland murders of Mr Wilkinson in 2008 and Keith Kahi in July this year.
Police national coordinator of firearms control, Inspector Joe Green said the law change... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Predict 'Someone Will Be Shot' Unless More NZ Airguns Controlled
11 October 2010
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Replica firearms not covered by a law change coming into effect this week could just as easily cost a life if they appear real, police warn after incidents in Napier.
Napier Detective Sergeant Emmet Lynch and his colleagues have dealt with three firearms in the past week that were either replicas or looked like more powerful weapons.
One, a rifle that fires slug pellets, was used in a random drive-by shooting in which a man was shot in the stomach while socialising... (GunPolicy.org)
National Election Gun Ban in Philippines Includes Airguns, Pellet Guns
28 September 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Air guns, pellet guns, and airsoft guns are covered by the current gun ban for the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, a Commission on Elections official said Tuesday.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said these guns were included because they fall under the definition of a gun as "any device that propels a projectile or a slug."
"For the most part, the slug is chemically propelled. But the definition of a gun also includes weapons that fire... (GunPolicy.org)
Kennesaw, Georgia, the Town Where Everyone Must Own a Gun, by Law
24 September 2010
Financial Times (UK)
Kennesaw, Georgia, is Everytown, USA: a mixture of old wooden bungalows and cookie-cutter subdivisions, of seventh-generation locals and Mexican immigrants. Its quaint, cobbled historic centre is lush, with low-hanging trees and chirping cicadas. The civil war museum tells the history of the local Confederate fight against the Yankees. At the suburban malls on a humid Saturday afternoon locals vie to park their SUVs as close as possible to the Target and Best Buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Scottish Pupil Caught With Airgun on School Trip, 'No Longer at School'
23 September 2010
BBC News
A student at Dundee High School has been caught carrying a BB plastic gun while on a trip to Iceland.
It is understood the gun was found by security officials, either at the airport in Iceland, or on return, at Glasgow Airport.
The incident happened during a school field trip during the summer holidays.
A spokeswoman for the private school said the "individual was no longer at the school" but refused to confirm whether the pupil had been expelled.
She added: "A... (GunPolicy.org)
No Gun Culture, But Indonesia At Risk from Illegal Firearms, Gun Violence
6 September 2010
International Crisis Group (Brussels), Media release
JAKARTA/BRUSSELS -- The Indonesian government could reduce the circulation of illegal firearms by improving procedures for guarding and monitoring police and military armouries, conducting regular audits of gun importers and enforcing controls over the "airsoft" industry.
Illicit arms in Indonesia, the latest briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines four sources of illegal guns in Indonesia: theft or illegal purchase from the security forces, leftover... (GunPolicy.org)
Soon Only Licensed Gun Owners to Own Lethal Airguns in New Zealand
26 July 2010
Press (Christchurch)
Criminals will be deprived of their "weapon of choice" by a proposed law change, Police Minister Judith Collins says.
Collins yesterday announced high-powered airguns would be reclassified so they could only be owned by those with a firearms licence.
The proposed change could be implemented by November through an amendment to the Arms Order.
However, Collins said there were no plans to try to register all firearms, something that had been an "expensive failure" in... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Moves to Restrict Airgun Model Used to Kill Police Officer
15 July 2010
New Zealand Press Association
Police Minister Judith Collins says the Government is looking seriously at legislation to restrict the sale of powerful air rifles which are being blamed for two slayings in Auckland.
Police Sergeant Don Wilkinson died after he was shot with an FX Monsoon airgun while on an undercover drugs operation in 2008.
And now it has been revealed that the same type of weapon was used in the slaying of Keith Kahi, 44, in the eastern Auckland suburb of Botany Downs nine days... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Again Considers Restricting High-Powered Air Rifle Sales
14 July 2010
New Zealand Herald
Police Minister Judith Collins says the Government is looking seriously at legislation to restrict the sale of high-powered air rifles which are being blamed for two recent slayings in Auckland.
Police Sergeant Don Wilkinson died after he was shot with a FX Monsoon air gun while on a undercover drugs operation in 2008.
And now it has been revealed the same type of weapon was used in the slaying of Keith Kahi, 44, in the eastern Auckland suburb of Botany Downs nine... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Town Council Attracts Protest After Banning Airguns, Pellet Guns
12 May 2010
Explorer (Arizona)
An ordinance the Oro Valley Town Council passed in March has come under fire.
The law banned the use of pneumatic guns like paintball, pellet or potato guns. The law also disallows the use of Airsoft guns, a firearm similar to a BB gun that fires plastic projectiles. The ban includes the discharge of such firearms except for target practice on private property.
"These things can't even break a window at point-blank range," Lee Souter told the council at the May 5... (GunPolicy.org)
Birmingham School Expels 2 Boys Caught Playing with Airsoft Gun
29 March 2010
BBC News
Three boys, aged 12 and 13, have been expelled from school after they were caught on cctv playing with a bb gun.
The airgun, which fires plastic pellets, was taken into Heartlands Academy in Birmingham last month.
A petition was started to try to get the boys reinstated. One boy's father, Ibrahim Abdillahi, said he "deeply regrets" a gun was taken to school.
The academy said it took discipline "extremely seriously", as well as the safety of students and staff.
Mr... (GunPolicy.org)
Swansea 12yr-old Killed 10yr-old with Shot to Heart from Dad's .22 Airgun
25 February 2010
BBC News
A coroner has urged parents to supervise children using air guns after a 10-year-old boy died after being shot at close range in the heart.
Rhys Johnson of Llansamlet in Swansea died in hospital on 27 September.
An inquest heard he and a friend were using his father's airgun without his knowledge in a lane behind his home.
Recording a verdict of accidental death coroner Philip Rogers was told Rhys's friend did not mean to shoot him as they were taking 'pot shots' at... (GunPolicy.org)
Minnesota Man Gets 5yrs Jail for Shooting Airgun at School Buses
15 February 2010
Worthington Daily Globe (Minnesota)
WADENA, Minnesota - A 21-year-old man from Wadena was sentenced Feb. 4 to five years in prison for shooting a pellet gun at Wadena-Deer Creek school buses on March 3, 2008.
Timothy Erwin Mindermann received the five-year prison sentence for three felony charges of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. An Otter Tail County jury found Mindermann guilty on all three counts, in addition to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing the legal process after a three-day... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Teacher Struck Off for Firing Unregistered Airgun in Dispute with Youths
26 January 2010
BBC News
A school teacher who fired an air pistol to scare a gang of youths who attacked him has been struck off.
Allan Dickson's actions were deemed "highly irresponsible and reckless" by a panel at the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
The disciplinary sub-committee said there was no alternative to removing the 33-year-old's name from the teaching register.
The decision means that he is banned from teaching.
In a written decision, the panel said: "The public... (GunPolicy.org)
Adelaide Gun Owner Shoots 3 with Airgun, Police Seize His 300 Weapons
19 January 2010
Australian Associated Press
Police have uncovered a cache of weapons connected to a man who allegedly shot three people with an air rifle south of Adelaide last Saturday.
Police arrested and charged the 51-year-old man from Willunga, where they also uncovered more than 300 assorted firearms from two separate premises.
The bailed man will appear in Christies Beach Magistrates Court on February 23 where he faces charges of acts likely to cause harm and aggravated assault.
The injuries to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Victory for Dead Boy's Parents as Britain Allows Scotland to Ban Airguns
30 November 2009
Sunday Mail (Scotland)
MSPs will be given the power to ban deadly airguns, we can reveal today.
Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy has secured an agreement to transfer authority over the weapons from Westminster to Edinburgh.
It means a ban — which has all-party support at Holyrood — is now almost certain.
The deal is a massive victory for the parents of tragic toddler Andrew Morton.
Sharon and Andy Morton have campaigned relentlessly for the ban since Andrew, two, was gunned down four... (GunPolicy.org)
Well-connected Global Gun Banners Blamed for New Philippine Gun Bill
15 October 2009
Business Mirror (Philippines)
Voting 140-3, the House of Representatives, in plenary session, approved on third and final reading on Thursday a bill that imposes stricter gun policies that licensed gun holders and enthusiasts described as the alleged revival of a Marcos-era decree to address the worsening problem on loose firearms.
House Bill 6776, authored by Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, seeks to restore the stiff penalties for the illegal possession, manufacture and sale of... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,England & Wales
Welsh Community in Mourning After 10yr-old Boy Shot Dead with Air Rifle
29 September 2009
Western Mail (Wales)
A 10-year-old who was shot dead with an air rifle was playing a game of Cowboys and Indians at the time of the tragic accident.
Rhys Johnson died yesterday morning after being shot in the chest with the gun, which he had found in a garage earlier in the afternoon.
The schoolboy, from Llansamlet, Swansea, went out to play with it in fields behind his home with a 12-year-old boy, a close friend.
Police yesterday questioned the devastated 12-year-old about what... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,England & Wales
10yr-old Welsh Boy Dies in Airgun Shooting, 12yr-old Questioned
28 September 2009
BBC News
A 10-year-old boy has died after he was shot with an air gun in Swansea.
Police were called to the Llansamlet area of the city at 1815 BST on Sunday but the boy died later in intensive care at Morriston Hospital.
A neighbour said the grandmother of the boy, named locally as Rhys Johnson, told him he had been involved in an accident.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious. A 12-year-old boy, who knew the boy, is helping police inquiries.
A lane in Midland... (GunPolicy.org)
Airgun Killed 18yr-old UK Girl, But Not Powerful Enough to Lay Charges
17 September 2009
BBC News
The case against three men charged over the death of a teenager who was shot in the eye with an air rifle has been dropped after new evidence emerged.
Rachel Davies, 18, was shot on 7 December last year in Bury, Greater Manchester. She died two weeks later.
The men were charged with possession of a firearm without a certificate.
The case collapsed when prosecutors told Bolton Crown Court tests had found the air rifle could not be classified as a banned firearm... (GunPolicy.org)
Grandfather Set Up Shooting Range, 5yr-old Killed by Airgun Pellet in UK
27 August 2009
Sky News (UK)
A five-year-old boy who tragically died after being shot in the head with an air rifle was playing on a shooting range set up by a friend's grandfather, it has emerged.
Joe Cooke and his family were on holiday in Wiltshire
Jonathan Cooke, known as Joe, was staying at the family friend's home with his mum and two brothers when he was hit.
The owner, Bernard Allnutt, had helped Joe's brothers and two grandsons set up the firing range in the grounds of his £700,000... (GunPolicy.org)
5yr-old Shot Dead was 3rd Young UK Boy to Die Playing with Airgun
26 August 2009
Times (UK)
A five-year-old boy has died after being shot with an air rifle while playing with friends in the garden of a country home.
Jonathan Cooke, who was hit in what his family called a tragic accident, was airlifted to hospital shortly after the incident but died on Monday afternoon.
It was not clear last night whether Jonathan — known as Joe — had mistakenly walked into the line of fire or if the air gun went off accidentally. Wiltshire police are investigating but... (GunPolicy.org)
Airgun Killings, Injury Move Scotland Towards Total Ban on Pellet Guns
26 June 2009
Scotsman (Edinburgh), Opinion
When two-year-old Andrew Morton was killed four years ago after being shot with an airgun, there were widespread demands for a crackdown on the deadly weapons.
Andrew was being carried by his 13-year-old brother in Glasgow's Easterhouse estate when he was hit by a pellet in the head. An unemployed 27-year-old man, who had been taking pot shots from the window of his flat, was later sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.
Andrew's parents collected 11,000 signatures... (GunPolicy.org)
Scottish Ministers Attack Westminster 'Inaction' on Airgun Licensing
27 March 2009
BBC News
The Scottish Government has said it will not "sit on its hands" in the face of what it claims is Westminster inaction over firearm laws.
The justice secretary made the claim as he launched a drive to highlight the penalties for air or replica gun crime.
The SNP has called on Westminster to devolve airgun legislation or agree a pilot licensing scheme for air weapons.
The Home Office said it had concerns about firearms law in Scotland differing from England and... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Gun Dealer Sold $2100 'Elite' Legal Airgun to Accused Cop Killers
18 March 2009
New Zealand Herald
Undercover officer Sgt Don Wilkinson said he was "running, running" after a police lookout told him to get away from the place where he and a colleague had been planting a tracking device, a court heard today.
Sgt Wilkinson was killed and his colleague shot three times while planting the device on a car in South Auckland on September 11 last year.
Iain Lindsay Clegg, 35 and John Ward Skinner, 37 have been jointly accused of Mr Wilkinson's murder and the attempted... (GunPolicy.org)
California Boy Dies Firing BB Gun: Four Airgun Deaths Each Year in US
4 March 2009
Orange County Register (California)
LAGUNA HILLS — The family of a 15-year-old boy is mourning the loss of a son, brother and grandson as authorities struggle to figure out how the teenager ended up shot in the head with his own BB gun.
Michael Chen was pronounced dead at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at Children's Hospital of Orange County at Mission Hospital, two days after his mother and grandmother found him unconscious in the family's backyard. Chen had been shot in the temple — but how and why are the... (GunPolicy.org)
Scotland Closer to Taking Gun Law Power from Britain, Banning Airguns
15 February 2009
Scotsman / Scotland on Sunday
Control over firearms law is set to be handed from Westminster to Holyrood under a controversial plan that could finally lead to an airgun ban north of the border.
A group of experts studying the Scottish Parliament has placed gun control at the top of its list of powers that could be transferred from London to Edinburgh, Scotland on Sunday understands.
If the Calman Commission goes ahead and recommends the change it would almost certainly result in SNP ministers... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Moves to Penalise Sellers of Realistic Imitation Guns, Airguns
11 January 2009
New York Times
MEXICO CITY — Over the Christmas holidays, Othón Cuevas Córdova, a Mexican congressman, had his life threatened, albeit in jest. His young nephew pointed a toy pistol that he had received as a gift at the lawmaker and said, "Tío, I'm going to kill you."
Mr. Cuevas was not amused. He talked to the boy's parents about the inappropriateness of giving a child a weapon, even a plastic one, in a country so overrun with violence. And he sped up the introduction in... (GunPolicy.org)
New Jersey Man Charged After 'Freak' Death of Wife in Airgun Shooting
4 January 2009
Newsday (New York) / Record of Bergen County
WEST MILFORD, New Jersey — A West Milford man has been charged with reckless manslaughter after fatally shooting his wife with a pellet gun.
Police say it looks like a "freak accident."
Authorities say Frank McDonald used the pellet gun to shoot squirrels in his yard. He called police around 10 a.m. Saturday after his 44-year-old wife, Cheryl, was hit by a pellet.
She later died from the wound.
Frank McDonald is being held on bail of $150,000. If he's... (GunPolicy.org)
Airgun Dealers 'Dealt Heavy Blow,' 1,000 Web Sites Shut Down in China
19 November 2008
Chinadaily.com.cn
A total of 381 people have been arrested and more than 1,000 websites have been shut down for advertising guns for sale on the black market, the Ministry of Public Security said yesterday.
Also, about 120,000 related Web pages have been deleted, following a crackdown between August and October, it said on its website.
Chinese law forbids any organization or citizen to purchase or trade in guns and ammunition. Such weapons, under license, are permitted only in areas... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize 800 'Lethal' Soft Air Guns from Japanese Airgun Maker
11 November 2008
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan) / AP
The Metropolitan Police Department suspects that a Tokyo-based company's airsoft gun put on sale in July is powerful enough to injure or kill without any modifications to the body, sources familiar with the case have said.
It is rare for police to recognize an unconverted airsoft gun as a lethal weapon.
The MPD seized 800 units of the type of gun during an inspection of the manufacturer on suspicion of violating the Firearms and Swords Control Law.
The MPD plans... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Police Call for Restrictions on Airgun Ownership After Woman Killed
24 October 2008
TV3 National News
How dangerous are airguns? Police say they can easily kill people at short range, and they are worried at how easily they can be bought — owners do not even need a firearms licence.
The police are not saying what sort of airgun the shot Whangarei woman was armed with, but airguns now range from the benign BB gun to gas-compressed ones with the power to kill.
And it was a single shot from an airgun that killed police officer Don Wilkinson six weeks ago as he fled... (GunPolicy.org)
Tighter New Zealand Gun Law Mooted in Wake of Airgun, Toy Gun Deaths
9 October 2008
Otago Daily Times
Police have warned parents not to be fooled into thinking airguns they give their children are toys.
The warning came several weeks after an undercover police officer was shot dead in Auckland with a high-powered air rifle and as the government moved to tighten the law on airguns.
Police national manager of firearms licensing and vetting, Inspector Joe Green, said up to 100,000 airguns were in the country which were replicas of real firearms, including rifles and... (GunPolicy.org)
British Teen Shot in Heart, Killed as Friends Play with Airgun
2 October 2008
BBC News
A teenager told a friend: "Careful where you're pointing that rifle", moments before he was accidentally shot in the heart, an inquest has been told.
The air rifle went off, and Daniel Marsh, 17, was killed.
A coroner called it "a terrible tragedy" as he recorded a misadventure verdict at the inquest in Newport.
Daniel's cousin Aaron Marsh, 17, and friend Mark Drew, 19, were arrested but no further action is to be taken, the hearing was told.
Mr Drew was holding... (GunPolicy.org)
Airgun Ban May Not Have Prevented New Zealand Policeman Being Killed
12 September 2008
New Zealand Press Association
A restriction on airguns similar to the one which killed undercover policeman Don Wilkinson may not have saved the officer, police said today.
Legislation which has been before Parliament for three years would have meant the type of airgun used to kill Mr Wilkinson in Mangere, South Auckland, yesterday could only be sold to people with a firearms licence.
But Superintendent Ted Cox of Counties Manukau police doubted the speedier passage of the legislation would have... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Officer Shot Dead with Air Rifle in NZ Undercover Drug Operation
12 September 2008
New Zealand Press Association
Police are to review the firearms laws after it was revealed the gun suspected of killing a police officer yesterday can be bought over the counter or on the internet by anyone over the age of 18.
Sergeant Don Wilkinson, 46, is believed to have been shot dead by a powerful, gas operated, rifle which shoots a pellet similar in size to a conventional .22 calibre rifle round.
A colleague is in a comfortable condition in hospital after also being shot while the pair were... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Dad Left Airgun, 5yr-old Girl Shot Toddler, Child Dies: Call for Gun Ban
2 September 2008
Guardian (UK)
A toddler who was accidentally shot in the head with an airgun by his five-year-old sister died in hospital yesterday.
Rashid Ullah had been in a critical condition since the accident on August 24, when the 18-month-old's sister is understood to have shot him with a gun belonging to their father, Bakht Zaman. Zaman, 29, a handyman, had been using the weapon for target practice in their garden in Washwood Heath, Birmingham.
Moments before the fatal accident, he is... (GunPolicy.org)
Family of UK Toddler Shot in Head by 5yr-old Warns of Airgun Dangers
27 August 2008
BBC News
The family of an 18-month-old boy who was shot with an airgun in his garden have issued a warning over the weapons.
Rashid Ullah has been in a critical condition since Sunday's incident in Washwood Heath, Birmingham.
His five-year-old sister accidentally shot him after picking up the airgun, which her father had been using for target practice, his grandfather said.
"We hope anyone who has an air weapon realises how dangerous these guns can be," the family said in... (GunPolicy.org)
Calls for Tighter Airgun Controls After Birmingham Accident
26 August 2008
Birmingham Post (UK)
Campaigners have called for legislation to make airgun owners liable for their misuse after an 18-month-old Birmigham boy was shot in the head.
Rashid Rullah is in a critical condition at Birmingham Children's Hospital after what police said appeared to be a "tragic accident" in Washwood Heath on Sunday.
The boy's grandfather said that Rashid was accidentally shot by his five-year-old sister when their father, who had been using the rifle for target practice, turned... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Dad Loads Rifle, Answers Mobile, 5yr-old Shoots Toddler in Head
26 August 2008
Guardian (UK)
Campaigners today called for tighter controls on airguns as a toddler who was shot in the head with his father's rifle remained critically ill in hospital.
Rashid Rullah was shot by his five-year-old sister, who picked up the gun their father was using for target practice when he turned his back to answer his mobile phone.
The family were in the back garden of their home in Washwood Heath, Birmingham, when the accident happened at 7pm on Sunday. Rashid remains... (GunPolicy.org)
Popularity of Imitation Guns Alarms Police: Airguns Injure 20,000 a Year
21 June 2008
Washington Post
An alarm went off one night at Potowmack Elementary School in Sterling, and a surveillance camera recorded the scene: five intruders in masks and hoods darting through hallways and corridors, their assault rifles pointed.
In minutes, sheriff's deputies arrived, their own guns loaded and drawn.
Only after the gunmen were taken into custody did deputies discover that the assault rifles were replicas — so-called "airsoft" guns that shoot lightweight plastic BBs — and... (GunPolicy.org)
Scotland Mounts Breakaway Gun Summit, Demands Tougher Airgun Law
7 May 2008
BBC News
A summit meeting to discuss Scotland's gun laws has ended with calls for Westminster to take action to deal with the problem of air weapons in Scotland.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said he would be writing to the home secretary pressing for a tightening of the law.
Members of the police, gun control lobby and sport-shooting groups attended the Edinburgh meeting.
Mr MacAskill described the current law as "inadequate".
Speaking after the summit, which he... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Airgun Deaths Bring Call for Tighter Controls on Pellet Guns
3 March 2008
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
The shooting death of 13-year-old Cody Shuya has sparked renewed concern about the hazards of pellet guns and whether they should be controlled by federal gun laws.
Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control, said people underestimate the severe injuries air guns can cause and pointed to a 2005 Canadian Pediatric Society report, Youth and Firearms, which calls for air rifles to be regulated by federal law.
The report cited 11 deaths from pellet guns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Westminster Accused of Complacency in Scottish-English Gun Law Feud
3 March 2008
Herald (Glasgow)
Gun law reform as demanded by Holyrood ministers has been ruled out by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
The move prompted her Scottish counterpart, Kenny MacAskill, to accuse her of complacency yesterday after she declined an invitation to co-host a summit on the subject in Scotland.
Mr MacAskill, the Justice Minister, said: "I'm disappointed our invitation has been rejected and concerned that the Home Secretary says a review isn't needed now.
"The most recent figures... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Tightens Gun Control, Bans Replica Firearms, Airsoft, Airguns
22 February 2008
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
BERLIN — The German parliament approved tighter gun-control laws on Friday in a move designed to stop the spread of violent crime. The new legislation bans the carrying of replica firearms and so-called airsoft guns as well as certain types of knives.
"The change to the gun control laws will ensure greater security … and counter threatening situations in public places," said Reinhard Grindel, a domestic affairs spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian... (GunPolicy.org)
Spread of Replica Plastic Guns Worries US Police Who May Shoot Owners
18 February 2008
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
When deputies arrived, Sgt. Duane Hendrix's children were in the street outside the Seattle police officer's Pierce County home.
Neighbors had spotted them running around, playing with what, to any casual observer, looked to be handguns. The deputies approached with their own weapons holstered, checked the children's guns and found them to be airsoft pistols, an increasingly popular type of replica gun that fires oversize plastic BBs.
Hendrix says his children have a... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Figures Show Real Firearm Crime 'Not Widespread' - BBC Analysis
31 January 2008
BBC News
During 2007, nine young people lost their lives in shootings, including the killing of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.
According to Home Office figures, there were 59 firearms-related homicides in 2006-07 compared with 49 in the previous year. That is an increase of 18% in just one year. There were 507 serious injuries from firearms — more than one incident a day.
But at the same time, the trend in gun crime overall has been going down.
Overall firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Air Rifle Death of 17yr-old British Boy a 'Tragic Accident' - 2 Teens Arrested
12 November 2007
BBC News
Police say the death of a 17-year-old boy who was shot with an air rifle seems to have been a "tragic accident".
Two teenagers, aged 18 and 16, who were arrested after the death of Danny Marsh in Newport, have been released on bail, pending further inquiries.
Gwent Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting in Maesglas on Sunday evening.
Danny's relatives called him an "adored son and brother" who was "loved by all his family".... (GunPolicy.org)
Higher Scottish Gun Injury Figures Attributed to Airguns, Reporting Changes
23 October 2007
BBC News
The number of people injured by guns in Scotland has reached a 10-year high, according to new figures.
The number of incidents rose from 197 to 247, with the number of people injured up by 26% from 189 to 239.
The annual statistics showed that guns killed eight people last year, the same death toll as in each of the previous two years.
Air weapons accounted for 144 of those injury cases recorded by police, according to the official figures.
Justice Secretary... (GunPolicy.org)
New UK Law Bans Realistic Airguns, Replicas; Dealers Out of Business
15 October 2007
Eastbourne Herald (UK)
Recent law changes regarding the supply of airguns and imitation guns are threatening the future of an independent business in Eastbourne.
Battle Orders in Lower Willingdon specialises in replica guns and has been trading in the town for more than 33 years.
But on October 1 the government introduced a number of changes to the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, with an aim to resolve the ever-prevalent issue of gun crime in Britain.
Battle Orders' owner Graham Barton... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Bans Realistic Imitation Airsoft, BB Guns, Declares Airguns 'Firearms'
1 October 2007
BBC News
New powers to crackdown on gun and knife crime have come into effect in England and Wales.
The government says the new legislation promises harsher punishments and tougher restrictions on the ownership and sale of guns and knives.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said tackling gun and knife crime was a "top priority", and said weapons on the street would not be tolerated.
The powers were introduced as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006.
The home secretary... (GunPolicy.org)
Airguns Sold Only by Licensed Gun Dealers; Minimum Age 17 - New UK Law
30 September 2007
BBC News
Retailers across the UK who sell airguns must now be registered firearms dealers, under a change in the law.
Dealers must conduct face-to-face sales and record buyers' names and addresses, plus details of the weapons sold.
The Scottish Government said communities had been "crying out for action" to take weapons off streets.
Sharon McMillan's son Andrew Morton, two, died after being hit in the head with an airgun pellet in Glasgow. She said the new law was... (GunPolicy.org)
New British Gun Law Compels Airgun Sellers to Register as Firearm Dealers
25 September 2007
Daily Post (North Wales)
Police yesterday warned North Wales airgun traders to register as firearm dealers or face prosecution.
Anyone selling air weapons in North Wales must register with police by next Monday or face the consequences under tough new laws.
Calls were made for a crack down on airguns after a series of incidents across the region in recent years where people and animals were hurt or killed.
But one gun shop owner said he had not been told of the changes to the law, despite... (GunPolicy.org)
Dayton, Ohio Reports Surge in Serious Airgun Injuries Among Children
22 August 2007
Chillicothe Gazette (Ohio)
When discussions turn to gun control, they usually involve weapons that are supposed to pack a deadly punch.
But as a children's hospital in the Dayton area has learned during the summer, BB guns placed in the hands of young children can sometimes create dangerous situations as well.
Children's Medical Center of Dayton has treated five children in the past month for BB gun injuries — nearly half the total annual BB or pellet gun injuries the center saw over the... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Police Hunt for Gold Coast Pistol Club Airgun Thieves
3 August 2007
Australian Associated Press
Police are hunting two men they believe are responsible for a robbery at the Gold Coast Pistol Club on Tuesday night.
Eight Feinwerkbau (FWB) model 65, .177 calibre pistols and two laptops were stolen during the robbery of the club shortly before midnight on Edmond Rice Drive, Southport.
A police spokeswoman said officers now had descriptions of two men believed to have been involved in the robbery.
They are described as having olive skin and in their late 20s to... (GunPolicy.org)
