Top of PageGun Policy News
Youth and guns, crime and firearm-related injury
Gang Deaths Often Involve Youth and Guns, Not Drugs - US Study
26 January 2012
Reuters
ATLANTA - Gang-related deaths typically aren't the product of fights over drugs -- as many assume -- but rather result from grudges between rival gangs that erupt into violence, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Gang homicides nearly always involve guns, usually occur in public places and the victims tend to be under the age of 19, the agency reported on Thursday in a study that examined 2003-2008 data from Los Angeles, Long... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan Disarmament Condemned by Civilians, Resulted in Insecurity
21 January 2012
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
It is extremely appalling to continually see the killing going on unabated in Duk Padiet for two consecutive weeks. The media puts death toll at 89. All these deaths are due to orchestrated violence by human action. It seems there is no immediate government gangbuster amelioration in sight for the people of Dukein who have been rendered defenceless through the disarmament process that took place in the area prior to independence. One thought such a bold move by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Children 'No Risk' with Shotguns, 7,071 Licences Issued to Under-18s in UK
18 January 2012
BBC News
Police revoked just two shotgun certificates given to children in the past decade, according to the Countryside Alliance.
The campaign group released the figures as MPs prepare to debate whether to introduce a minimum age of 14 for holding a shotgun certificate.
More than 7,000 under-18s received certificates between 2008 and 2010.
There is currently no minimum age for qualifying, but an anti-gun group said under-18s should not get certificates.
In a Freedom of... (GunPolicy.org)
Debate Over Minimum Age for Shotgun Licence in UK
18 January 2012
Yorkshire Post (UK)
Countryside campaigners have attacked moves to set a minimum age for shotgun licences, claiming research proves under-14s with certificates "pose no risk to the public".
The Countryside Alliance said their figures, which show that in the past 10 years only two people under the age of 14 have had shotgun certificates withdrawn by the police, prove "conclusively" that the young take the responsibility of handling shotguns seriously and efforts to stop them entering the... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela's 'Record' Homicide Rate Points to Wide Availability of Guns
17 January 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
With Venezuela's homicides climbing to dramatic rates, rising by a third in 2011, it seems more urgent than ever to reduce the huge number of firearms circulating among civilians.
According to Venezuela's main police agency, known by its acronym the CICPC, there were 18,850 murders in 2011, a 30 percent increase from the previous year.
Another count by watchdog group the Venezuelan Violence Observatory (OVV), which says it bases its numbers on police reports,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Group Raises $200 Million a Year, Aims to Unseat Obama
29 December 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
A toaster that burns the National Rifle Association's logo onto bread fetched $650 at an auction last month, just one reflection of the money-making power in the gun group's brand.
The NRA, which began as a grassroots organization dedicated to teaching marksmanship, enters the 2012 election season as a lobbying, merchandising and marketing machine that brings in more than $200 million a year and intends to help unseat the incumbent president. From 2004 to 2010, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Amish Girl Shot in Head, Killed by Man Cleaning Rifle 2km Away in Ohio
21 December 2011
Sydney Morning Herald / AP
The shooting death of a 15-year-old Amish girl driving a horse-drawn buggy was caused by a man who accidentally shot his rifle into the air while cleaning it two kilometres away, US police say.
Rachel Yoder was shot in the head on Thursday night while travelling to her home in Fredericksburg, Ohio.
She had attended a Christmas party for employees at an Amish produce farm and was riding home alone when she was shot, police Captain Douglas Hunter said on... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Suppliers Urged to End Transfers of Small Arms to Egypt Army - AI
19 December 2011
Bikya Masr (Egypt)
Global arms suppliers must halt the transfer of small arms, ammunition and other repressive equipment to the Egyptian military and security forces, Amnesty International said today after the army again violently dispersed protests in Cairo.
The organization condemned the excessive use of force against protesters and called for a cessation of all transfers of small arms, light weapons and related munitions and equipment to Egypt, as well as a halt to all internal... (GunPolicy.org)
Registration, Ballistics Tie Baltimore Police Glock to Murder of 2 Girls
17 December 2011
Baltimore Sun
The wanted poster portrays a .40-caliber Glock Model 22 semiautomatic pistol, serial number EKG463US, that resembles thousands of standard-issue guns owned by the Baltimore Police Department.
But this particular weapon found its way out of the hands of law enforcement and into the hands of a suspected killer — an above-board but nightmarish scenario for city police. Authorities say the gun was used three years ago to shoot two young girls on a dirt road outside a... (GunPolicy.org)
FIFA Mulls Brazilian Plans for Gun Scrapping Drive at Soccer World Cup
14 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
RIO DE JANEIRO - Football's governing body, Fifa, is studying plans to hand out free or cut-price World Cup tickets to football fans who surrender guns to the Brazilian government.
Brazil's justice ministry submitted the plans for the 2014 event last month as part of a new disarmament drive in the South American country.
According to reports in the Brazilian media, the government's suggestions also include swapping official footballs and shirts signed by World Cup... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Finland,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,Norway,Europe
Gun Attacks in Europe and Their Effect on Gun Control Laws
14 December 2011
BBC News
As more details emerge of the shooting spree and grenade attack in Belgium in which five people died, the BBC News website takes a look at other recent incidents in Europe - and the effect they have had on each country's laws.
Norway
Seventy-seven people were killed in twin attacks on 22 July 2011 in Norway. Anders Behring Breivik has admitted that he planted a car bomb that exploded close to government offices in the capital Oslo, killing eight people. He then drove... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgium Mass Shooting: 'Convicted Gun Fanatic' Kills 6, Wounds Dozens
14 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
A convicted gun fanatic threw hand grenades and opened fire on a square bustling with Christmas shoppers in the centre of the Belgian city of Liège, killing at least six people, including himself, and wounding at least 122, some critically.
Hours after failing to show up for police questions about his preoccupation with guns, the 33-year-old unleashed a lunchtime attack on Place Saint Lambert, which was hosting a Christmas market that attracts 1.5 million visitors a... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica,Honduras,Israel,Canada,Norway,Australia,Colombia,El Salvador,United States,Venezuela,Pakistan,Mexico
Armed Societies, Another Tragedy for Women: Mexico, Pakistan, Venezuela
9 December 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
CARACAS - Kairobis Arcia, 25, died from a bullet to her head shot by her husband, Oswaldo Mendoza, 32, who said he was blinded by jealousy in an argument fuelled by alcohol and drugs.
Her murder was just one of the more than 468,000 homicides a year that occur worldwide, 42 percent of which are committed with firearms. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the global murder rate is 6.9 per 100,000 people – 11.9 per 100,000 among men and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Off the Table as US Congress Feels Heat from Influential NRA
8 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
Mexico's drug cartels have for years armed themselves courtesy of America's love for guns.
Many Americans, wedded to their right to own guns under the second amendment of the US constitution, are viscerally opposed to stronger laws to curb weapons trafficking, out of fear that it may prove to be the thin end of a wedge that they say will result in the government confiscating all firearms.
Some are wedded to their guns out of fear of crime. Others see them as a... (GunPolicy.org)
Libyan Civilians Hold On to a Deadly Legacy: Assault Rifles, Machine Guns
7 December 2011
New York Times
MISURATA, Libya — On the night that he was to die, Hassan Nahassi should have been safe.
It was Oct. 20. A middle-age man turned Libyan rebel commander, Mr. Nahassi had returned home in the evening, leaving behind the front lines of Surt for a reprieve from the fighting. He wanted to rest with his wife and children.
Then came the news. Muatassim el-Qaddafi, a son of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, had been captured on the front that Mr. Nahassi had left only hours... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Firearms Act Reduced Violence Against Women, Why Change?
6 December 2011
The Witness (South Africa)
CAPE TOWN — The proposed amendments to the Firearms Control Act should be opposed at all costs, because in its current state the law has succeeded in reducing violence against women and children.
So says Dr Naeemah Abrahams, a researcher with the Medical Research Council. She pointed out the dangers of the proposed amendments during a discussion of the 16 Days Campaign of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children yesterday.
This year's campaign will... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Father Shoots His Estranged Wife, Kills Her 4 Children, Himself
1 December 2011
Associated Press
BAY CITY, Texas -- Laura Gonzalez was happy to be back at work after three weeks away that included a stay at a battered women's shelter. She saw it as the beginning of a new life. One without her husband and the father of her four children, she told co-workers. She wasn't going back to him this time, she said, and left for home.
Less than an hour later, her 24-year-old husband, Jose Avila, launched a brutal final assault. First he shot his wife three times. Then, he... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodia,Thailand,India,Myanmar,Bangladesh
Menace of Illicit Small Arms Industry, Trade, Violence in India - Opinion
28 November 2011
Express Buzz (India), Opinion
According to a recent study, India witnessed 4,100 gunshot murders in 2008. These murders would work out to 12.2 per cent of the over 33,700 murders reported during the year. Overall, there were over 6,200 deaths due to gunshots; about 66 per cent of them were murders, 26.3 per cent were accidental deaths and 7.7 per cent were suicides. It was also reported that most of the victims of firearm murders in India were killed using unlicensed firearms.
Studies conducted... (GunPolicy.org)
Handicap International Graffiti Contest Promotes Gun Control in Libya
21 November 2011
Tripoli Post (Libya)
The Saturday forecast warned of a rainy November afternoon - a crowd gathered nonetheless at the Tashkil Libya Al-Hurra Brigade in Keesh for one of Benghazi's first ever formal graffiti contests organised by French NGO Handicap International to raise awareness of the dangers posed by small arms and light weapons.
However, for many of the young contestants it was as much an opportunity for personal expression, as it was about tackling one of Libya's most pressing... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Students March in Support of Gun Control in Venezuela
19 November 2011
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela) / EFE
CARACAS – Several thousand students marched Friday in the Venezuelan capital in support of government and legislative gun-control proposals to disarm the civilian population.
Under the slogan "A safe society in favor of peace," Caracas primary schools and high schools joined the activities of the recently founded Experimental University of Security, or Unes, which trains agents for the Bolivarian National Police, another recent creation.
Unes rector Soraya El Achkar... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,China,United States,India
Increasing Availability and Seizures of Illicit Guns in Pune, India
17 November 2011
Express India
PUNE - Failure in identifying and cracking down on criminals involved in manufacturing and selling of illegal firearms is the major reason behind unchecked illegal trade of firearms in the city, police said. And investigation of some of the cases revealed that the quality of illegal firearms has improved, availability has increased while cost has gone down, police said.
According to the figures obtained by The Indian Express under the Right to Information Act (RTI)... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Pressure Makes it Easier for US Felons to Legally Own Guns
13 November 2011
New York Times
In February 2005, Erik Zettergren came home from a party after midnight with his girlfriend and another couple. They had all been drinking heavily, and soon the other man and Mr. Zettergren's girlfriend passed out on his bed. When Mr. Zettergren went to check on them later, he found his girlfriend naked from the waist down and the other man, Jason Robinson, with his pants around his ankles.
Enraged, Mr. Zettergren ordered Mr. Robinson to leave. After a brief... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Imports, Shooter Numbers Up, Firearm Records 'In a Mess'
12 November 2011
ABC News (Australia)
More than a decade after the horrific Port Arthur Massacre, gun ownership is on the rise in Australia, but experts say this resurgence is highlighting serious problems with the current regulation and registration system.
In the 15 years since Martin Bryant killed 35 people at the popular Tasmanian tourist site, the flow of firearms into Australia has eclipsed the amount recovered in the government funded buy-back scheme.
Last financial year alone Australians imported... (GunPolicy.org)
Growing Spread of Homemade Firearms in Cameroon, Debate Revived
3 November 2011
Radio Netherlands
Last July, 21-year-old Giulien Tchouangang accidentally shot and killed his little brother, Sidou Dzongang, who was only 13. The two brothers were playing with a firearm they found in their living room, unaware that it was loaded.
"The firearm Giulien Tchouangang used is a homemade 5.5mm calibre rifle which was modified into a 12 mm calibre that is used for hunting," says Sergeant Wassaing Albert, who heads the Bangou gendarmerie unit in Western Province of Cameroon,... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan's Army to Begin Disarming Civilians in Unity State
2 November 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
RUMBEK - South Sudan's army has begun deploying two battalions to carry out a disarmament campaign in Unity state this week.
Since a 2005 peace deal that led the South Sudan's independence in July this year, former rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), have been the official army of the region.
Despite hostilities with north Sudan ending six years ago South Sudan remains insecure with various rebels groups and local people carrying weapons.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Urges International Community to Tackle Proliferation of Illicit Arms
27 October 2011
Africa Report (Jeune Afrique)
Lawrence Olefumi Obisakin, a senior director in Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a United Nations General Assembly committee responsible for disarmament and international security that it was time the international community tackled the proliferation of illicit arms.
"We expect no less of a treaty which provides the legal basis for international trade in conventional weapons," he said.
"The government of Nigeria is deeply concerned at the magnitude of human... (GunPolicy.org)
Scrapping Canada Long-Gun Registry: Some Relevant Numbers
26 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
Since the introduction of stricter gun laws in 1991, there has been a 65 per cent reduction in homicides by long guns, Statistics Canada data shows. The reduction in homicides involving any type of firearm was 37 per cent.
Statistics Canada released a report on Oct. 26, 2011, on homicides in Canada in 2010. That year, there were 170 shooting homicides, about 32 per cent of all homicides. The total homicide rate fell to its lowest level since 1966 (1.62 per 100,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada's Conservative Government to Ease Gun Laws
25 October 2011
Associated Press
TORONTO — Canada's Conservative government introduced legislation Tuesday to scrap a controversial law that requires the registration of rifles and shotguns.
Canada has long required registration of hand guns, but the long-run registry law passed in 1995 faced bitter opposition from rural Canada, the Conservative party's base, which considered it an overreaction to the problem of urban crime.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said they don't want laws targeting... (GunPolicy.org)
London, Ontario Gun Violence Fear: Toronto's Guns Land Here
19 October 2011
London Free Press (Ontario)
Many come from the U.S. - ripped off, smuggled across the border and often secreted here with the illegal drug trade.
But London also pays for crime in the Big Smoke - Toronto, with many of the illegal guns seized here by police originating in the mega-city as well. As recently as four years ago, four of every 10 guns seized by a special London squad could be traced back to the Toronto area.
But the truth is, illegal weapons scooped off London streets - 441 so far... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union,China,Germany,South Korea,Switzerland,Serbia,France,United Kingdom,Syria,Yemen,Bulgaria,Belgium,Libya,Italy,Bahrain,Egypt,United States,Russia,West Asia,North Africa,Finland,Austria,Sudan,North Korea,Spain
Tracing the Middle East Weapons Flow
19 October 2011
al Jazeera
Earlier this year, as mass popular uprisings spread through the Middle East and audiences across the world sat transfixed by images of unarmed citizens confronting iron-fisted security forces in the streets of Arab capitals, powerful governments from Russia to the United States were forced to begin accounting for the weapons they had for decades sold to the very rulers they now found themselves abandoning.
In Egypt and Bahrain, protesters held up tear gas canisters... (GunPolicy.org)
Spread of Armed Violence in Pakistan Truly Alarming: 'Too Many Guns'
18 October 2011
Tribune (Pakistan), Editorial
The rate at which violence is spreading in our society is truly alarming. On the afternoon of October 17, hundreds witnessed an incident on Lahore's busy Jail Road, on the pedestrian bridge located outside the city's prestigious Kinnaird College, where a young man pumped five bullets into a second year student from the institute and then shot himself dead. The killer, Shams Alam, was 23; the victim, Samar Wasti was 19. Two young lives have ended tragically, leaving many... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Injuries to Patients Younger than 19 Up Sharply in US, Says Study
18 October 2011
MedPage Today (New Jersey)
BOSTON -- Firearm-related injuries to patients younger than 19 accounted for an estimated 186,000 emergency department (ED) visits over the period from 1999 to 2007, investigators reported here.
As a proportion of total ED visits for that age group, firearm injuries accounted for 30% more visits than documented in earlier studies.
The findings could reflect differences in the data and methods used to calculate firearm-injury rates, but might also reflect a true... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Injuries to Kids in US are Underestimated, Study Shows
17 October 2011
CBS News (USA)
How likely are children to be injured by firearms? A lot more likely than doctors used to think. In fact, a new study shows that the rate of non-fatal firearm injuries in kids is 30 percent higher than previous estimates.
Each year, the study showed, there are 20,600 firearm injuries - including 8,368 injuries resulting in death - in people age 19 and younger. More than a third of these injuries - 37 percent - were unintentional.
The study, based on the National... (GunPolicy.org)
Only UN Can Offer Sustainable Disarmament of Civilians in South Sudan
12 October 2011
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
It's commendable that the government of South Sudan took upon itself the bold initiative ever to address the widespread insecurity in the country through an enforced nationwide disarmament campaign. However, six and a half years in the row the much applauded campaign has paradoxically come to stand as a testimony of the failures after failures incurred under the leadership of this system that never learns from its mistakes.
Firearms make their ways from the... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan,United States,Philippines
Philippines Needs Stricter Gun Control Laws - Opinion
11 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Opinion
Joke only: A Llama is a handgun.
But a Llamas is an AK-47.
* * *
Because of the AK-47 found in the vehicle of Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas when it figured in an accident on Edsa (Llamas was away in Switzerland), the talk at the Kapihan sa Manila at the Diamond Hotel last Monday centered on guns in the hands of civilians.
And the guests were all well qualified to talk about guns: brand-new PNP chief, Director General Nicanor Bartolome,... (GunPolicy.org)
Of 2,496 Murders in Guatemala, 86% Were Shootings [Espanol]
6 October 2011
EFE News Agency
[Translated summary: 2,496 murders, including 360 of women, were committed in Guatemala during the first nine months of 2011, says an NGO that monitors human rights. Firearms were used in 85,66% of the crimes committed between January and September 2011.]
Guatemala - Unos 2.496 asesinatos, 360 de ellos de mujeres, fueron perpetrados en Guatemala durante los primeros nueve meses de 2011, denunció hoy el Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo (GAM), una organización no gubernamental... (GunPolicy.org)
Buying Guns in Swaziland Is a Serious Business
6 October 2011
Times (Swaziland)
MBABANE – It is not often that you open a newspaper and read an advertisement giving a choice of rifle, pistol and shotgun products.
One of the biggest firearm dealers in the country, however, placed an advertisement in the Times to attract potential customers.
It may have been one of the first times that people, reading their paper over their morning breakfast, thought of owning guns.
The police Crime Prevention Unit believes fewer guns in the country would mean... (GunPolicy.org)
India,Russia,Germany,United States
India's Unlicensed Gun Market Thrives on Smuggled, Home Made Firearms
5 October 2011
First Post (Mumbai)
A 10-year-old boy was accidentally shot dead by his 12-year-old neighbour while they were playing cop and thief in West Delhi earlier this week. On 24 September, 23-year-old toll attendant, Umeshkant Pandey, was shot dead by the driver of a white Bolero. His crime: he asked the driver to pay Rs 27 as toll tax.
Gun crime has consistently been on the rise in India, and every few weeks, there is a new tragedy. An armed gang shoots a woman over a small piece of jewellery,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Amnesty in the Bahamas a Bad Idea, Says Opposition Leader
5 October 2011
Nassau Guardian (Bahamas)
Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader Branville McCartney said yesterday the government should reconsider its moratorium on illegal firearms.
"If they have the gun then we need to deal with them,"McCartney said.
"Don't give them any amnesty. Let's find them, get them and deal with them. You want the criminal element to respect the law. We want them to know that they should not be doing things because there will be consequences. I don't know if what is proposed... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Gun Control Not Linked to Homicide Rates - Study
5 October 2011
National Post (Toronto)
Criminal record checks, 28-day waiting periods, the long-gun registry: none has done anything to stem Canadian firearm homicide rates, according to a new study by an emergency-medicine academic.
"No significant beneficial associations between firearms legislation and homicide or spousal homicide rates were found," reads the abstract on the study, written by Caillin Langmann, a resident in the division of emergency medicine at McMaster University, and himself a vocal... (GunPolicy.org)
Stepfather Charged After 10-yr Old Shoots, Kills Teen in Canada
4 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Charges have been approved in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Fernie resident Michael Voth.
Voth was fatally shot by a 10-year-old boy during a gathering at a home in Jaffray, B.C. on June 16.
Police determined that the child found a shotgun in the home, and accidentally fired it at Voth while he held it in his hands.
Voth was killed instantly.
The owner of the gun, 51-year-old George Lewis Phillips, who is the boy's stepfather, has been charged... (GunPolicy.org)
Bahamas Prime Minister Announces Amnesty for Unlicensed Guns
4 October 2011
Nassau Guardian (Bahamas)
Calling his address last night "one of the more distressing national addresses" he has ever given, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced an amnesty period for illegal weapons to be turned in, tougher penalties for people found guilty of gun crimes and the addition of two gun courts.
Ingraham advised that for a period of 30 days following the introduction of amendments to the Firearms Act tomorrow, all citizens and other persons are requested to turn in to police any... (GunPolicy.org)
Libyans Launch Grassroots Efforts to Stop Deadly Proliferation of Guns
1 October 2011
Miami Herald
TRIPOLI, Libya -- Alarmed at the deadly arsenals piling up in ordinary Libyan neighborhoods, self-appointed community leaders in Tripoli have begun issuing their own gun licenses and, in some cases, conducting raids to retrieve land mines and rockets stored in private homes.
Qatar and other nations flooded Libya with arms during revolutionary forces' six-month struggle to overthrow longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. And when the NATO-backed former rebels finally toppled... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Easily Available and Increasingly Used Against Women in Pakistan
30 September 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
PESHAWAR - Guns available in new abundance in the troubled north of Pakistan are increasingly being used on women in 'honour' killings and domestic disputes, according to local reports.
"About 65 percent of the women killed fall prey to gunfire in honour-related cases and issues relating to domestic violence," local security analyst Brigadier (retired) Muhammad Saad told IPS.
Citing a study by the local Awaz Foundation, he said the problem has been caused by easy... (GunPolicy.org)
'Everyone in Tripoli Has at Least One Gun' [Francais]
28 September 2011
Au Fait (Morocco) / AFP
[Translated summary: 'Everyone in Tripoli has at least one gun'; Teenagers brandish AK-47 to armed combatants; An AK-47 now costs $650. The proliferation of weapons in Libya worries the new authorities and the international community.]
Des adolescents brandissant des kalachnikovs dans les rues de Tripoli aux combattants armés de lance-roquettes sur le front, les armes sont partout en Libye et mettent en péril l'assise des nouvelles autorités. Hors de Libye,... (GunPolicy.org)
French Municipal Police Asking for Handguns for Self-Defence [Francais]
27 September 2011
Le Progrès (France)
[Translated summary: The Union of Municipal Police of Lyon is asking for handguns. In France, if 20,000 Municipal Police officers are on active duty, only 5,000 of them are armed with a revolver. According to the Lyon Police union, not equipping officers puts them in danger: 'During a robbery, two of our colleagues had to hide behind flower pots…'.]
Sécurité. Le syndicat SNPM-CFTC de la police municipale de Lyon réclame des armes de poing leur permettant de... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela,South America,Colombia,Mexico
Venezuela Tries to Stem Violence and Easy Availability of Guns
22 September 2011
InSightCrime.org (Latin America and Caribbean)
Venezuela is altering its gun policy in an effort to stem the alarming level of street violence, but the entrenched nature of gun possession in the country will prove difficult to remedy in the short term.
On June 6, Venezuelan Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami announced the establishment of a commission which is charged with tightening the regulation of arms in the country. Since its creation, the body has enacted a number of reforms, including banning the possession... (GunPolicy.org)
US Customs Seized 30 Assault Rifles Bound for Mexico
22 September 2011
Reuters
AUSTIN, Texas - U.S. customs agents in Texas seized 30 high-powered assault rifles when they searched a car heading into Mexico in what they said was the largest gun seizure at the state's border this year.
Agents at the Del Rio port of entry found the stash of Kalashnikov and M-4 type rifles in the trunk of a Nissan Altima headed into Mexico on Wednesday, and arrested the 18-year-old driver from Eagle Pass, the Customs and Border Protection agency said in a news... (GunPolicy.org)
On Peace Day, UN Notes Papua New Guinea's Gun Control Problems
21 September 2011
Radio New Zealand International (Shortwave)
The United Nations resident co-ordinator to Papua New Guinea, David McLachlan-Karr, says gun control in the country is a matter of urgency.
Marking International Day of Peace, Mr McLachlan-Karr, says PNG is no stranger to conflict, with competition over land, resources and local political tensions often leading to violence.
He says the most affected by fighting are very often the most vulnerable - the women, children and the elderly - who are least able to defend... (GunPolicy.org)
13-yr Old Boy Shoots 16-yr Old Friend, Then Himself in Philippines Mall
21 September 2011
Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines — A 13-year-old boy who shot his 16-year-old friend inside a busy Philippines mall then turned the weapon on himself died Wednesday and left the other boy brain dead, raising questions about gun control in a country awash in firearms.
Authorities were investigating how the 13-year-old obtained the .22-caliber pistol and smuggled it into the mall in Pampanga province's Mexico township, area police chief Wilson Santos said. He said the shooting... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal: Impact of Small Arms on Gender
20 September 2011
Telegraph (Nepal), Opinion
1. Facts:
Small arms:
Small Arms mean the weapons that a single and individual can carry and operate. For example revolvers, self loading pistols, rifles, carbines, assault rifles, sub machineguns, light machineguns and associated ammunitions.[1]
Light weapons means that can be operate two or three people. They may include heavy machine gun, hand–held under barrel and mounted grenade launcher, portable anti-aircraft and missile launcher, explosives, anti personal... (GunPolicy.org)
Unusual Prizes for Children in Somalia: Fully-automatic Assault Rifles
20 September 2011
New York Times
NAIROBI, Kenya — A typical prize for a children's contest might be a backpack, a lunchbox or some toys.
Not in Somalia.
Over the weekend, a Somali radio station run by the Shabab, the most powerful Islamist militant group in the war-ravaged country, held an awards ceremony to honor children who were experts at Shabab trivia and at reciting the Koran. The prizes? Fully-automatic assault rifles and live hand grenades.
The contest itself was held during Ramadan, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy Shoots, Kills Friend with Father's Police Pistol in Switzerland [Francais]
19 September 2011
Le Matin (Lausanne)
[Translated summary: A teenager accidentally shot dead his friend with his father's handgun. The father, who is an experienced police officer, did not store his handgun in a secured cabinet. According to Thurgovia law, police officers do not have to comply with the Federal Law on Firearms in terms of safe storage of guns kept at home.]
Trois écoliers thurgoviens jouaient avec le pistolet de service du père de l'un d'eux, un policier. Celui-ci a été mis sous... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Law that Limited Doctors' Ability to Ask about Guns Is Blocked
19 September 2011
Time (USA)
A federal court has blocked a new Florida law that limited the ability of doctors to ask patients if they had guns in the home. Judge Monica Cooke, a Republican appointee, rightly said that the law interfered with both doctors' right to free speech and patients' right to receive information.
The ruling, which came down last week, struck an important blow for freedom of expression. But it did something more: it dealt a rare setback to a gun-rights lobby that is... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy Injures 2 Students with Unattended Police Assault Rifle in Russia
17 September 2011
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MAKHACHKALA - A high school student in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan accidentally wounded two other students after he made a shot from an assault rifle in a school, a local police spokesman said on Saturday.
He said several policemen were invited to a school in the Tarumovsky district of Dagestan to deliver a lecture for children.
"A senior class student was examining an assault rifle that was left unattended for some time by one of the policemen after... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms Trafficking on Nepal-India Border Poses Security Threat
15 September 2011
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
DHANGADHI - Illegal transaction in small weapons has been on the rise on the Nepal-India border in the far west region for some time.
Police seized four small weapons in a month. A police patrol seized two American made automatic pistols and a revolver from Chaukidanda area Malakheti-3 on September 11.
According to police, the pistols were seized from six youths who were on two motorcycles, but they failed to nab the youths who fled. SP Bashanta Panta, District... (GunPolicy.org)
Judge Blocks Florida Law Enacted to Gag Doctors on Gun Safety
15 September 2011
Reuters
MIAMI - A U.S. federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Florida law limiting what doctors can say about guns to their patients, saying it violated free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution.
U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke granted a preliminary injunction preventing the state and Governor Rick Scott, a Tea Party-backed Republican and former healthcare executive, from enforcing the Firearm Owners' Privacy Act with immediate effect.
The law took effect in June and... (GunPolicy.org)
US Law to Gag Doctors on Gun Safety Blocked by Federal Judge
15 September 2011
Associated Press
MIAMI — A federal judge on Wednesday blocked enforcement of a first-in-the-nation law that restricted what Florida physicians can say about guns to their patients, ruling the law violates the U.S. Constitution's free speech guarantees and does not trample gun rights.
U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke said it was important to emphasize "the free flow of truthful, non-misleading information within the doctor-patient relationship."
"This case concerns one of our... (GunPolicy.org)
College Shooting Revives Debate Over Canadian Gun Registry [Francais]
14 September 2011
CapAcadie.com (Canada), Editorial
[Translated summary: The fifth anniversary of the Dawson College tragedy brings back the debate over the abolition of the firearm registry. The number of homicides in Canada involving a carbine or shotgun has dropped between 1975 and 2006, from 183 to 36. Pure coincidence?]
Il y avait exactement cinq ans hier, un étudiant du Collège Dawson à Montréal ramenait au souvenir des Montréalais et de tous les Canadiens le drame de la Polytechnique: armé d'une arme... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gangsters Get 400yrs for Pistol Factory, Drug & Gun Trafficking
12 September 2011
London Daily News (UK)
A group of 37 gun traders and drug suppliers have been sentenced to a total in excess of 400 years imprisonment following a successful Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) sting operation.
The men appeared at Wood Green Crown Court following an undercover initiative designed to target serious and organised crime in and around Enfield borough. The last sentencing took place on 9 September 2011.
Codenamed Operation Peyzac, the initiative involved detectives launching a... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,United States,El Salvador,Honduras,Mexico,Venezuela
In Crime-Ridden Venezuela, Even Hospitals Are No Longer Safe
11 September 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
CARACAS, Venezuela - A young man dies of gunshot wounds, and enraged friends and relatives react by shooting up the hospital. A medical student leaving another hospital at the end of her shift is shot to death by a robber. Doctors working late take to sleeping in their workplace rather than risk being mugged.
In crime-ridden Venezuela, even hospitals are no longer safe.
No one was injured in the Aug. 20 shooting rampage at the Domingo Luciani Hospital in Caracas, but... (GunPolicy.org)
US 'Gun Murder Capital of World' as 6 Shot Dead in West Virginia
8 September 2011
Charleston Gazette (West Virginia), Editorial
CHARLESTON, West Virginia - A troubled young Morgantown man, barely beyond teen age, used two rifles and a pistol in a stunning murder rampage Tuesday. After writing weirdo notes on Facebook, he killed five at a farmhouse near Morgantown, then wounded a service station worker in Roane County, then killed himself in Kentucky.
His bloodbath was just one of several gun killings in Wednesday's news. On the same day, a pistol-carrier pleaded self-defense after gunning down... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru: Over 500 Illegal Guns Seized in the Province of Callao [Espanol]
7 September 2011
Andina (Peru)
[Translated summary: The Regional President of Callao announced that around 500 firearms, coming from the black market, were seized this year in Callao. This number represents 25% of the illegal firearms circulating in the province. 65% of the recovered firearms were possessed by youth. The President added that these results are partly due to incentives provided for by Callao Regional Government using cash to reward the police for their efforts.]
LIMA - El presidente... (GunPolicy.org)
Montenegro,Bosnia & Herzegovina,European Union,Serbia,Eastern Europe,Southern Europe,Croatia,Kosovo,Albania
Balkan Countries Work To Round Up Privately Held Guns, Ammunition
5 September 2011
Southeast European Times (Pristina)
The statistics about gun ownership regionwide are surprising and the results can be deadly. In Albania alone, for example, analyst Jonuz Kola estimated this summer that 6% to 9% of the population has a weapon in the home. Scores of accidental shootings occur, including that of a 9-year-old in Shkodra, who died at the hands of his 11-year-old brother on July 18th.
Xhavit Shala, an expert within the Albanian Interior Ministry notes that in 1997, a considerable amount of... (GunPolicy.org)
One Death by Gunshot Every 15 Minutes in Brazil [Francais]
3 September 2011
Le Nouvel Observateur (France), Blog
[Translated summary: In less than six months, the Military Police of Imperatriz, Brazil, have collected 84 firearms during random investigations. On Average in Brazil, there is one gun death every 15 minutes]
IMPERATRIZ, Maranhão - Il y a des centaines d'armes à feu en circulation rien que dans la région d'Imperatriz. On vient de saisir une douzaine de pistolets et fusils hier et avant-hier dans les rues. Au Brésil il y a un mort par balle toutes les 15 minutes... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Used in 68% of Murders, 30% of Suicides in Argentina [Espanol]
31 August 2011
Los Andes (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Guns were used in 68% of a total of 40,318 homicides and 30.5% of 37,170 suicides in Argentina between 1997 and 2009, according to Asociación para Políticas Públicas (APP). Most of the victims were between 15 and 29 years old.]
Sólo en los últimos cuatro meses murieron 16 chicos por disparos. Alientan los programas de desarme.
"A las armas las carga el diablo" reza un viejo proverbio, casi tan viejo como la pólvora. Es que las consecuencias... (GunPolicy.org)
Call for Stronger Penalties For Gun Crimes in Peru [Espanol]
18 August 2011
El Comercio (Peru)
[Translated summary: The President of Peru's National Security Council called for stronger penalties regarding crimes committed with firearms.]
Mandatario instaló Consejo Nacional de Seguridad, pidió restablecer orden en penales y anunció creación de un fondo para implementar a la Policía
"Estamos hartos que los delincuentes utilicen el espacio público para robar una billetera, el pueblo está cansado de mucha teoría y pocas acciones", expresó esta mañana... (GunPolicy.org)
All Canadian Women Should Own Guns for Self-protection? - Opinion
17 August 2011
British Columbia Local News (Canada), Opinion
Recently someone suggested for self-protection all Canadian women should own guns, a notion as sane as a daycare handing every 3-year-old a pair of sharp scissors before inviting them to join in a game of tag.
The suggestion stems from the shocking statistic of how many women even in this country are murdered, maimed, beaten, or abused every day often by someone they know.
Current gun laws decree ensuring firearms are unloaded at all times when stored, secured by a ... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Iceland,Denmark,Finland,Norway
Nordic Countries Set Sights on Stricter Gun Control after Norway Attacks
16 August 2011
Agence France Presse
STOCKHOLM — In the Nordic countries, where hunting is popular and firearms are plentiful, the twin July 22 attacks that killed 77 people in Norway have spurred lawmakers to consider tighter gun laws.
But change will not come without resistance in a region where hunting is viewed by many as a cultural heritage passed down from Viking ancestors, and sport shooting is a favourite pastime.
Finland, which has one of the world's highest gun ownership rates at 1.5 million... (GunPolicy.org)
Drop the 'Stray Bullet' Euphemism: Bullets Go Where Gun Owners Fire Them
15 August 2011
Kansas City Star (Missouri), Letter
KANSAS CITY - Is it possible that The Kansas City Star's news staff could see to it that the newspaper stops referring to "stray" bullets?
Bullets are not dogs or cats with wills of their own. There are no "stray" bullets. Bullets go where the Second Amendment "patriots" point the guns from which the bullets are fired.
Blair Lane's killer may be stupid or simply incompetent as a shooter, but he nonetheless intentionally fired a gun pointed in a direction he intended,... (GunPolicy.org)
Estonia Reports Shooting at Defence Ministry
11 August 2011
Associated Press
TALLINN, Estonia — A gunman armed with explosives entered Estonia's Defense Ministry on Thursday and opened fire, but police stormed the building and killed him, officials said. No one else was hurt.
Many employees were seen escaping from first-floor windows as the gunman detonated a smoke bomb and fired shots in the central Tallinn building.
Defense Minister Mart Laar said authorities should investigate whether the assailant had been partially motivated by the... (GunPolicy.org)
In America's Gun Battle, Both Sides Have Distorted History and the Law
9 August 2011
Atlantic (USA)
The Ku Klux Klan, Ronald Reagan, and, for most of its history, the NRA all worked to control guns. The Founding Fathers? They required gun ownership — and regulated it. And no group has more fiercely advocated the right to bear loaded weapons in public than the Black Panthers — the true pioneers of the modern pro-gun movement. In the battle over gun rights in America, both sides have distorted history and the law, and there's no resolution in sight.
THE... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Query Off Limits for Florida Doctors, Gun Injuries a Health Issue?
8 August 2011
New York Times, Letter
As a primary care physician, I regularly ask patients questions that many people would consider rude, inappropriately nosy or just irrelevant in polite conversation.
Do you wear your seat belt? How much alcohol do you usually drink? Do you use recreational drugs? Have you ever injected yourself with anything? Do you have sexual relations, and if so, with men, women or both?
Questions like these have long been a standard part of medical interviewing, and for good... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Gun Amnesty Programme 2 Years Later: A 'Huge Success'
4 August 2011
Daily Champion (Lagos)
When former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua approved the implementation of the Niger Delta Amnesty programme two years ago, he, most likely, would not have imagined that it would become the huge success that it presently has become.
At the time he made the historic move, the Niger Delta region was, literally, a war zone. Militant youths, armed with sophisticated weapons controlled different parts of the states of the region, killing, maiming or kidnapping people,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Study on Stray-bullet Shootings Finds Most Harm Women and Youth
2 August 2011
Oregonian (Portland)
A University of California-Davis professor who studied stray-bullet shootings across the country found that most harm women, young children, older adults and individuals who are at low-risk for violence.
The study, which will be published as a letter in tomorrow's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, identified 284 stray-bullet shootings in a one-year period between 2008 and 2009, in which 317 people were killed or injured.
Unlike the risk... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Norway,United Kingdom,Africa,Afghanistan,Mexico
Gun Trade Inevitably Leads to the Sort of Atrocity Inflicted on Norway
31 July 2011
Independent (UK), Opinion
In discussion of the atrocity in Norway last week, there is one subject which has been notable by the almost total silence about it: guns. In response to recurring massacres in American high schools and British villages, in response to footage from Africa and Afghanistan showing ragged, untrained young men brandishing automatic small arms, in response to a man coolly murdering dozens of youngsters in an hour-and-a-half, funfair-like shooting spree on a Norwegian island,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control in Canada: Crime and the Long-gun Registry
30 July 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
MONTREAL - There are two basic crime scenes when it comes to gun violence in Canada. One involves weapons that are traceable - sometimes using the $1 billion long-gun registry that is likely to be scrapped by the Conservative government this fall, as promised. The other - far more common - involves guns that are not traceable because they are not registered, the registration number was erased or the guns used to kill are never found.
The looming question as MPs get set... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Activists Call for New Firearm Laws after Norway Massacre
28 July 2011
CBS News (USA)
Anti-gun violence activists in the U.S. are renewing their push for new gun laws in the wake of the revelation that the alleged Norway shooter claims to have purchased high-capacity ammunition magazines from a United States retailer.
Anders Behring Breivik, the alleged lone-wolf terrorist accused of shooting and killing 68 people at a youth camp in Norway and killing eight in an Oslo bombing last week, details purchasing the ammunition in his 1,500-page... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Prison Massacre Using Assault Weapons Left 17 Dead, Including Girl
28 July 2011
Guardian (UK)
Two days of debauchery and horror inside the municipal jail in Mexico's Ciudad Juárez began with alcohol, drugs and sex with minors, and ended with the massacre of 17 people using high-powered firearms later successfully concealed from police.
Some of the violence was captured on a surveillance video released by the state-level authority investigating what happened. It shows two prisoners clearing a corridor of guards before unlocking a door to allow armed men to... (GunPolicy.org)
US Teen Gets 3yrs Jail for Gun Crime, Killing, Beheading 4 Men in Mexico
27 July 2011
Washington Post / AP
MIACATLAN, Mexico — A Mexican judge on Tuesday sentenced a teenage U.S. citizen to three years in prison for homicide, kidnapping and drug and weapons possession. Authorities say the teen confessed to killing four people whose beheaded bodies were found suspended from a bridge.
Edgar Jimenez Lugo, known as "El Ponchis," was given the maximum sentenced allowed for a minor in the central state of Morelos, said state prosecutor Jose Manuel Serrano Falmerol. Jimenez was... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Mass Shooting: Police Preparedness, Delays Questioned [Francais]
26 July 2011
Le Monde (France)
[Translated summary: The Norwegian Police intervention in the attacks of July 22 is questioned. Succession of contretemps, an unarmed police officer on the island, the authorisation to carry firearms, or the rise of criminality?]
Quand un homme vêtu d'un uniforme policier et muni de deux armes à feu commence à tirer sur l'île norvégienne d'Utoya, où se trouvent 600 jeunes réunis pour le camp d'été du Parti travailliste, personne ne se méfie. Il est alors 17... (GunPolicy.org)
Would Belgian Gun Law Prevent a Norway-style Shooting? [Francais]
26 July 2011
RTBF (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Lawfully acquire a weapon of war in order to commit a massacre as in Norway raises questions. Would the new Belgian legislation on firearms have prevented such tragedy for us?]
Se procurer une arme de guerre en toute légalité pour commettre un massacre comme en Norvège, pose question. La nouvelle législation belge sur les armes aurait-elle permis d'éviter un tel drame chez nous ?
Les conditions de base
La majorité des clients des armureries... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Norway,Australia
Australian Gun Control Group Renews Its Call for Semi-auto Handgun Ban
26 July 2011
Herald Sun (Melbourne) / AAP
The National Coalition for Gun Control has renewed its call for a ban on semi-automatic handguns after the Norway massacre.
Coalition co-convenor Samantha Lee said semi-automatic longarms were deemed too dangerous and banned in 1996 after the Port Arthur massacre in which Martin Bryant shot dead 35 people.
But semi-automatic handguns remain available to sporting shooters.
"It only takes one person with a high-powered semi-automatic firearm and access to lots of... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Iceland,United Kingdom,Norway
Unsettling Wariness In Norway, Where Police Are Rarely Armed
25 July 2011
New York Times
OSLO — When a man dressed in a police uniform began slaughtering young people at a Norwegian summer camp last week, one of the first to be killed was a real police officer named Trond Berntsen, who for years had worked in security at the camp.
Whether Officer Berntsen tried to stop the gunman is still being debated. But facing a man carrying multiple guns and ample ammunition, there was little he could do. Like most other police officers here, he had no weapon.
By... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Shooting Should Force Semi-auto Handgun Ban - Australian Greens
25 July 2011
News.com (Australia) / AAP
The shooting spree in Norway should force Australia to ban semi-automatic handguns, Greens leader Bob Brown says.
More than 80 people were killed and scores more injured when a lone gunman opened fire on a Labour Party youth meeting on the island of Utoeya, near the Norwegian capital Oslo.
Senator Brown said reports the killer had used a semi-automatic handgun should force a re-think of Australia's laws.
"These would not necessarily be prohibited in Australia," he... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Activists Mourn Norway Victims
25 July 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A leading US group which has long pressed for tougher gun control laws in America Monday said the massacre in Norway was a tragic reminder that "guns are the enablers of mass killers."
The Brady Campaign, set up three decades ago to work to cut the number of gun deaths and injuries in the United States, said it "joins the world in mourning the horrific loss of life in the Norway terrorist attacks."
"The staggering toll of young lives taken by a gunman... (GunPolicy.org)
In Norway Gun Ownership is Common; Violence and Homicide Are Not
23 July 2011
Los Angeles Times
The shooting rampage that left at least 85 dead at a youth camp near Oslo stunned Norway, a nation of about 4.9 million residents who are far less accustomed to gun violence than the U.S.
Authorities have described the 32-year-old man arrested in connection with the shootings, as well as a bombing in downtown Oslo that left at least seven others dead, as a far-right Christian fundamentalist. A chilling manifesto attributed to the suspect, Anders Behring Breivik, that... (GunPolicy.org)
Worst-ever Mass Shooting Killer Licensed Gun Owner, Gun Club Member
23 July 2011
CNN
As Norway struggles to come to terms with its greatest loss of life in decades, all eyes are on the man charged in the explosion in central Oslo and the deadly shooting rampage at a youth camp.
While police have not officially named him, Norwegian television and newspaper reports have identified the suspect as 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik, of Norwegian origin.
A picture is emerging, gleaned from official sources and social media, of a right-wing Christian... (GunPolicy.org)
14-yr Old Nepal Girl Arrested for Illegal Handgun Possession in India
22 July 2011
Deccan Herald (Kathmandu)
Ninth-grader Sadhana Limbu was expecting to return to her school in Nepal's tea garden district of Jhapa next week after spending a brief vacation with her family in Kathmandu.
Instead, the 14-year-old girl is now in police custody in the capital, facing interrogation and a tough ordeal that could include imprisonment.
She was caught by Nepal's airport authorities Thursday while trying to board a domestic flight from Kathmandu to Jhapa.
Among the books and clothes in... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms Eradication Targeted for Action in Sierra Leone
21 July 2011
Cocorioko.net (Sierre Leone)
A Five Year National Action Plan on Small Arms was today presented at a State House ceremony attended by President Ernest Bai Koroma, Vice President Sam Sumana, Ministers and Development Partners . The Plan covering the period 2011-2015 is the Working Document of the Small Arms Commission which provides a framework detailing interventions, strategies and activities to be undertaken in regulating the manufacture, sale and use of Small Arms and Light weapons (SALW) in... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Teens and 2 Men Arrested in Toronto on Firearm and Drug Charges
19 July 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
TORONTO - Three teens and two adult men were rounded up as Toronto Police used tips from the public to track down four illegal handguns and ammunition at two homes.
Among the accused are a 17-year-old boy who was banned for 10 years by a court from possessing weapons, and a teen who has two separate court-imposed firearm bans, including a life-time ban, police said Monday.
Det. Rick Proctor of 31 Division said a team of detectives and the Gun and Gang Task Force... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Police Minister Rules Out Supporting Guns in Australian Schools
18 July 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The Police Minister, Mike Gallacher, yesterday ruled out supporting changes to gun laws in NSW and said the state government would not consider introducing shooting as a sport into the school curriculum.
This was despite the Shooters and Fishers Party saying they had received an indication from the state government that it would largely support their firearms bill, which includes allowing shooting as a sport in NSW schools.
The Shooters MP Robert Borsak said he had... (GunPolicy.org)
Push for Shooting as a Sport in Schools in New South Wales, Australia
17 July 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
THE Shooters and Fishers Party has won the support of the O'Farrell Government to increase shooting as a sport in schools.
The gun control lobby and even some in the Coalition see the minor party's long-held ambition to get more guns into the hands of children as the price the government must pay for the support of Shooters MPs, Robert Borsak and Robert Brown. It relies on the pair to get its legislation through a hostile upper house.
At the top of their wish list is... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Indian Gun Owner Shot, Killed 13yr-old Boy for Stealing Apples
11 July 2011
Indian Express
CHENNAI -- The mystery behind the shocking murder of a child who strayed into an Army residential compound was solved after a week of investigation, with the Crime Branch sleuths arresting a retired lieutenant colonel for shooting the boy dead.
Kandasamy Ramraj, a former assistant engineer in the Small Arms wing of the Electrical and Mechanical Department, has confessed to the crime, and the US-made rifle that was used for the murder was recovered from the bottom of... (GunPolicy.org)
Michigan Man Commits Suicide after Seven Die in Shooting Rampage
8 July 2011
Agence France Presse
CHICAGO — A man suspected of fatally shooting seven people, including a child, committed suicide late Thursday after a car chase and hostage standoff with police in the US Great Lakes city of Grand Rapids.
The two remaining hostages were released safely after the gunman, Rodrick Shonte Dantzler, shot himself dead as police were speaking to him, Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk told reporters.
Belk said officers were in the house and talking to Dantzler -- who... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian 12yr-old Boy Facing Charges for Illegal Handgun Possession
4 July 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
A 12-year-old boy is facing six charges after a loaded illegal handgun was allegedly found in his bedroom in Toronto.
The owner of the house where the child lives called police after finding a loaded P-11 Luger 9 mm gun. When discovered, the gun was wrapped up in the boy's pajama bottoms, police said.
The boy lives with his parents near Lansdowne Avenue and Queen Street West.
"We are concerned that a 12-year-old boy was in possession of a firearm and we take this... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Shooting in Rural Pennsylvania, Then a Siege on a Vengeful Man
4 July 2011
New York Times
At a sprawling, tree-shaded country house in rural Pennsylvania, a place of serenity that most city dwellers can only dream about as a retreat from the mean streets, two weekending couples, one with a 2-year-old boy, were relaxing on Saturday night when the nightmare strode in from the darkness.
He was a bull-necked career criminal with a record for robbery, burglary and insurance fraud in New York and Massachusetts — mug shots show a brutish face framed by long... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun-running Program Flaw Relies on Great Number of Mexican Deaths
22 June 2011
National Post (Toronto), Opinion
These are not halcyon days for the unique American combination of extreme drug prohibition and extreme firearms permissiveness. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is enduring its biggest scandal since Waco over an anti-drug operation very inappropriately titled "Fast and Furious." In a nutshell, ATF agents watched carefully as people in Arizona bought massive quantities of legal weapons (notably AK-47 assault rifles), knowing they'd be smuggled across the... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Pakistan,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas
Small Arms Cause 60-90 Per Cent Deaths Each Year in Pakistan
19 June 2011
Nation (Pakistan)
ISLAMABAD - Small arms are the reason for 60 to 90 per cent deaths due to direct conflicts that occur each year.
Approximately 90,000 people were killed every year while 1.5 million people were injured every year. Ismat Ullah Khan, Project Officer of SPADO, an NGO, supporting implementation of UN programme of action and de-weaponisation, said this during a press conference here on Saturday.
He said there is trade of small arms worth $ 10 billion in black market per... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,China,Nepal,Italy,India,United States
High Incidence of Small Arms Violence in Nepal: India Border, Armed Women
16 June 2011
MSN News / Indo-Asian News Service
KATHMANDU -- As over 70 countries in the world Thursday begin observing the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence, peace activists rue that even five years after the end of an armed insurrection, Nepal is still wracked by gunfire, thanks to the 1,800-km open border with India.
'There have been 1,013 incidents of violence caused by small arms in the last 17 months,' says Subodh Pyakurel, chief of Informal Sector Service Center (Insec), Nepal's largest NGO that... (GunPolicy.org)
