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Shooting clubs, pistol clubs and gun clubs
Public Stigma Drives Toronto Gun Hobbyists, Shooters Underground
18 March 2012
National Post (Toronto)
Ellen loads five bullets into her favourite pistol, a .22-caliber Browning Challenger, and demonstrates her favourite shooting stances. She begins with two hands holding the gun straight out in front of her, elbows slightly bent and feet hip-width apart for balance before changing poses, with her left hand behind her back, her palm facing outward, and the pistol in her right hand.
She is a Toronto grandmother of two in her mid-sixties and she is sharing her love of... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Club Officials Charged Over Illegal Machine Guns in Barbados
13 February 2012
Real Jamaican Radio
Shooting clubs and gun dealers in Barbados are at the centre of police investigations following the discovery of a number of unregistered high powered weapons.
Among the weapons were a number of M4 assault rifles used for single and automatic fire, President Barbados Rifle Association (BRA), Michael Holder, club secretary Debbie Holder and committee member Richard Arthur, were charged with illegal possession of firearms and or ammunition. Another club member was being... (GunPolicy.org)
Concerns Persist Over Irish Police Attitude to Gun Licence Applicants
2 February 2012
Irish Times (Dublin)
ANALYSIS - Following an intervention by Mr Justice John Hedigan, the Garda and three gun enthusiasts have come to an agreement. This will allow gun club members reapply for licences where they have been refused.
The basis on which the case was settled was the reasoning for the refusal of licences was flawed.
However, questions about the behaviour of the Garda posed by Mr Justice Hedigan remain to be answered. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has asked the Garda... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,El Salvador,Honduras,Venezuela,Brazil,Colombia
Colombia Capital Tries Trial Ban on Guns in Public
2 February 2012
New York Times / AP
BOGOTA, Colombia — Gustavo Petro was imprisoned as a rebel in the 1980s on a weapons conviction. As Bogota's new mayor, he wants to get firearms off the streets of this city where the conspicuous display of guns has long been the norm.
So he's trying an experimental ban on gun-wielding in public.
The only people authorized to carry weapons during the 90-day trial that began Wednesday are active and retired police and soldiers, bodyguards of diplomats, politicians,... (GunPolicy.org)
Normally Law-Abiding Mexicans Take Up Illegal Guns for Protection
28 January 2012
National Public Radio (USA)
In Mexico, where criminals are armed to the teeth with high-powered weapons smuggled from the United States, it may come as a surprise that the country has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the world.
Law-abiding Mexicans who want a gun to defend themselves have no good options. Either they fight government red tape to get a legal permit, or they buy one on the black market.
After an outbreak of violence, one embattled community in northern Mexico called... (GunPolicy.org)
Sydney Woman Joined Gun Club, Shot Father, Acquitted as Mentally Ill
15 December 2011
ABC News (Australia)
A woman who joined a gun club so she could kill her 70-year-old father has been found not guilty of murder due to mental illness.
Shamin Fernando, 44, faced a judge-only trial for the 2010 murder of her father Vincent.
The Supreme Court heard she called him to her Glebe unit in inner Sydney to help with her computer then shot him several times with a pistol.
The court heard Fernando obtained the gun from the Sydney Pistol Club, where she was a provisional... (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)
Australian Woman Joined Pistol Club, Stole Handgun to Kill Father - Court
7 December 2011
ABC News (Australia)
A Sydney court has heard a woman accused of shooting her father dead joined a local pistol club to obtain the gun she used in the killing.
Shamin Anne Fernando today faced a judge-only one-day trial in the New South Wales Supreme Court over the death of her father Vincent Fernando last year.
The 44-year-old has pleaded not guilty to murder on the grounds of mental illness.
The court heard Fernando called her father to her unit at Glebe in inner Sydney to help with... (GunPolicy.org)
Toronto Council to Debate City Ban on Shooting Ranges
1 December 2011
National Post (Toronto)
City council will fight a challenge to its gun bylaw at the Ontario Municipal Board, despite an assertion by the deputy mayor that the decision goes against expert advice.
In 2008, the city enacted a bylaw that restricts the manufacture of guns in the city, and bans any firing range and gun club that is not operated by the government. The Canadian Shooting Sports Association appealed the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board and had floated a "compromise" that would... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Destroyed in Australian Gun Buybacks Now Replaced with Imports
13 November 2011
ABC Radio National - Background Briefing, Transcript
Gun clubs report lots of new members, hunting is cool, and handguns are gangland chic. The hundreds of thousands of guns destroyed in buybacks since Port Arthur have been more than replaced by new ones. But guns are highly political and the national system for monitoring gun ownership is a mess. Reporter, Ian Townsend.
Ian Townsend: There may be more guns in Australia today than there have ever been. In the past 16 months in Queensland alone, nearly 50,000 guns —... (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)
Political Party Gives Bullets to Australian Gun Clubs in Return for Votes
28 October 2011
Australian (Sydney)
Bob Katter's Australia Party is giving bullets to gun clubs in return for their political support.
Gun dealer and party vice-president Robert Nioa yesterday confirmed the "sponsorship" scheme as Queensland Attorney-General Paul Lucas condemned the fledgling political entity's financial links to shooting interests.
Mr Lucas said he was seeking crown law advice over a loophole in electoral laws that spared the party from having to declare more than $500,000 in donations... (GunPolicy.org)
Cayman to Establish a Firearms Authority to Decide Who Gets a Licence
13 October 2011
Cayman News Service
The country's legislators had another rare moment of harmony on Wednesday when they all voted to support a private member's motion to establish a firearms authority to decide who gets a gun licence.
Currently, it is the commissioner of police alone who makes the decision to grant or deny a firearms license to an applicant on Grand Cayman but legislatures have voted to amend legislation which will see the country's top cop share the decision with at least three local... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Licence Applicants May Have to Prove Mental Health in Netherlands
4 October 2011
Auburn Journal (California)
A majority of Members of the Netherlands Parliament are supporting a recommendation from the public security council that applicants for a gun ownership license prove they are psychologically healthy before they can obtain a license.
In the Netherlands gun ownership is not a right but a privilege, with hunting and target shooting the only two legitimate reasons for owning a gun. Self-defense is not considered a legitimate reason for owning a gun and only the police may... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Kills his Parents and Himself with Legally Owned Gun in Quebec
16 September 2011
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
A Gatineau man shot and killed his parents and then shot himself with a handgun that he legally owned, police said Thursday.
Police confirmed Patrick Mongeon-Johnson, 32, used his licensed and registered nine-millimetre handgun to kill his mother and stepfather before turning it on himself at 115 De Saguenay Street on Sept. 7.
An autopsy confirmed Lucie Johnson, 51, and Denis Lagacé, 59, died of gunshot wounds.
A handgun is considered a restricted firearm under... (GunPolicy.org)
Security and Justice Minister to Ban Semi-auto Rifles in Netherlands
11 September 2011
Radio Netherlands
Security and Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten says he is going to ban semi-automatic rifles.
Minister Opstelten referred to the massacre in the Dutch town of Alpen aan den Rijn in April of this year, when a man used a semi-automatic rifle as well as a pistol and a revolver to kill six people and injure 17 others before killing himself.
"Such weapons", the security minister said, "are not intended for use at a shooting club. They're made to hit moving targets. It's... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Club Member Sues Over Firearm Licence Refusal in Cayman Islands
16 August 2011
Cayman News Service (Cayman Islands)
A local sports shooter and gun club member, who also represented Cayman at the NSSA skeet world championships in the 1990s, is taking the refusal of his firearms licence by the commissioner of police to the court, claiming David Baines has acted unlawfully. Dennie Warren JR, who is better known these days for shooting photographs, has been a licensed firearm holder since 1993 but his regular renewal was refused last year. Warren says the RCIPS boss has introduced new... (GunPolicy.org)
Long Battle Over Firearm Licences in Cayman Islands Heading to Court
15 August 2011
Caymanian Compass (Cayman Islands)
A long-brewing battle over private firearms ownership in the Cayman Islands may soon come to a head in court.
A local man who filed a complaint last year over how the country's Firearms Law was being enforced – and later had his shotgun seized by police after officers refused to renew his gun owner's licence – has now filed an application for judicial review of the decision not to renew the
firearms licence.
A decision on whether the court would grant a... (GunPolicy.org)
Denmark,European Union,United States,Norway
Police Call for Stricter Gun Control in Norway
2 August 2011
Views and News from Norway
Calls are going out for stricter gun regulation and changes to the Norwegian criminal code after the terrorist attacks on Oslo and Utøya, with police, politicians and academics welcoming a debate. When such a debate will be able to occur is more uncertain, with the American police chief in charge of the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombings warning Norwegians not to be overly critical of police or emergency services at this early stage.
The police have expressed a... (GunPolicy.org)
Increased Number of Gun Licences in Queensland Due to Fear of Robberies
29 July 2011
Brisbane Times (Queensland)
The number of new gun licences issued on the Gold Coast has risen 36 per cent in the past two years, nearly double the increase across Queensland, with one criminologist attributing the rise to fears over home invasions.
There are currently more than 155,000 firearm licence-holders in Queensland, 14,622 of whom are in the Gold Coast region.
The Queensland Weapons Licensing Branch issued 1294 new firearms licenses for the Gold Coast, Coomera and Logan in the 2009/2010... (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)
For New Wisconsin Hidden Handgun Permits, Web Training May Suffice
10 July 2011
Fox News (USA) / AP
MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin residents who want to carry a concealed handgun legally need to be trained first -- but the state's new law could allow applicants to satisfy that requirement without ever touching a gun.
The concealed-carry measure became law when Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed it Friday. A few minor parts take effect right away but most aspects don't go into effect until November.
The law, which now leaves Illinois as the only state without some sort of... (GunPolicy.org)
Tougher Gun Laws Go into Effect in Finland after Shootings
13 June 2011
univision.com / AFP
Tougher hand gun laws went into effect in Finland Monday, after being pushed through parliament amid outrage over two recent school massacres and a shopping centre shooting spree.
The new legislation raises the minimum age for a handgun permit from 18 to 20 years of age, requires applicants to be trained by a police-approved instructor at a gun club, and obliges medical and military personnel to report anyone they feel is mentally or socially unsuitable to own a... (GunPolicy.org)
Tragic Sequel After Sydney Gun Dealer Sold Bullets to Unlicensed Shooter
6 June 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The offence may sound trivial but the consequences proved fatal. When George Petas, a licensed firearms dealer and official with the Sydney Pistol Club, sold two boxes of ammunition to an unlicensed shooter, he did not realise he was breaking the law, his lawyer told the court.
Seventy of the 100 rounds he sold for $16 were used in a so-called training shoot at the La Perouse range one day last August. But the unlicensed shooter, Shamin Fernando, 43, walked out of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owners Set Up Trusts to Avoid US Machine Gun Background Checks
25 May 2011
CNN
PRESTONBURG, Kentucky -- For Benjamin Ferguson, the Dewey Lake Fish and Gun Club brings back memories. As a child, Ferguson came to the modest gun range in rural Floyd County, Kentucky, to learn gun safety so he could go deer hunting with his family.
Now, the Army veteran and drug counselor has children of his own, six in total. He passes along knowledge about gun operation and safety and encourages his children to explore the guns -- safely, of course.
"It's... (GunPolicy.org)
Another Gun Club Patron Rents a Gun, Shoots, Kills Himself in Florida
13 April 2011
Times-Union (Florida)
A man is dead in what authorities described as an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound at a gun range in St. Johns County.
Rescue workers were called to the Fraternal Order of Police range on Inman Road off Florida 16 about 10:55 a.m., said spokesman Jeremy Robshaw of St. Johns County Fire Rescue.
The Sheriff's Office said Robert Allen Abbosh, 50, of Palm Valley was found lying in one of the shooting bays by other members who called 911. He was a registered... (GunPolicy.org)
Dutch Mass Shooter Faced Gun Charge as Teen, Legally Owned 5 Guns
11 April 2011
Irish Times (Dublin)
As the death toll from Saturday's shooting by a 24-year-old gunman in a Dutch shopping mall reached seven last night, a heated national debate was under way about how he had come to have legal permits for five weapons.
"This will definitely be part of our investigation," said local prosecutor Kitty Nooy, as it emerged the gunman had had a number of previous run-ins with the police, including a weapons possession charge in 2003 when he was just 17. That charge was... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Killer in Dutch Mall was Gun Club Member, Licensed to Own 5 Guns
10 April 2011
Reuters
A gunman's deadly rampage through a shopping mall was met on Sunday with disbelief by residents of a quiet Dutch town who once thought such carnage couldn't happen in their country.
Dressed in camouflage trousers and a bomber jacket, Tristan van der Vlis opened fire in a parking lot on Saturday and walked calmly into Ridderhof mall, where he killed five people, most of them elderly. He wounded 17 others, one of whom died later.
The 24-year-old gun club member then... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Shooting by Gun Club Member Sparks Scrutiny of Dutch Gun Laws
9 April 2011
Radio Netherlands
Following a shooting spree on Saturday by a lone gunman which has so far cost the lives of nine people, questions are bound to be asked about how the killer, who reportedly used a fully automatic weapon, got his gun and ammo. Outside the military, nobody in the Netherlands is allowed to own or shoot an automatic weapon.
So what are the rules governing gun ownership in the Netherlands? Dutch gun laws are actually quite strict. Gun ownership is seen not as a right, but... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Club Member Shoots, Kills 6 in Netherlands Shopping Centre
9 April 2011
BBC News
A gunman in the Netherlands has killed six people and wounded at least 11 before taking his own life.
The killings took place at a busy shopping centre in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn, about 25km (15 miles) south-west of Amsterdam.
The mayor of the town said the man opened fire with an automatic weapon and then shot himself.
The gunman came from the town, was known to police and "almost certainly operated alone", said a prosecutor.
'Slaughter'
Kitty Nooy, from... (GunPolicy.org)
Vicious Cartel Drug War Has Mexicans Taking Up Guns for Self Defence
6 March 2011
El Paso Times (Texas)
NUEVO CASAS GRANDES, Mexico - On the ranch lands near the U.S. border, people no longer take security for granted and have turned to weapons to stave off drug thugs.
Teachers, ranchers, town officials, business owners and lawyers in rural towns of northwest Chihuahua near New Mexico have armed themselves.
Legal or not, they are ready to use their guns for protection.
In a country caught in the clutches of a vicious drug war, people have decided it's better to fight... (GunPolicy.org)
Sydney Gun Club's 'Negligent Attitude to Gun Safety' Cited in Family Killing
5 March 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
When the gun club official noticed a borrowed pistol had not been signed back into the register, he made a fatal assumption.
Without checking, he assumed it was a clerical error, packed up the club's firearms and drove home. It was 2pm and it took another 72 minutes for police to be told the pistol was missing.
In the meantime it was allegedly used in a murder.
Another club official eventually called police at 3.12pm. Two minutes later a mentally ill woman, Shamin... (GunPolicy.org)
Patron Committed Suicide at Pennsylvania Gun Club Range - Coroner
25 February 2011
WFMZ-TV News (Philadelphia)
ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania - The death of a man who was found shot at a gun range in Lehigh County last Friday has been ruled a suicide.
The coroner said Arthur Lichtenwalner, 61, intentionally shot himself at the Ranger Lake Rod and Gun Club on Quarry Street in North Whitehall Township on February 18.
State police and representatives from the coroner's office were involved in the week-long investigation of Lichtenwalner's... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Visits Massachusetts Gun Shop, Rents Gun, Dies on the Range
24 February 2011
Gloucester Daily Times (Massachusetts)
SALISBURY — The Essex Country District Attorney's office yesterday identified the man found dead inside a Route 1 gun club Wednesday night as Lawrence Pelrin of 12 Cottage St., Hingham.
The 60-year-old Pelrin was discovered inside Bob's Tactical Shooting Range & Gun Shop a little after 6 p.m. while the club was still open. By 7:15 p.m., the body had been removed from the shooting range section of the building and into a dark-colored Suburban SUV. According to... (GunPolicy.org)
In Latest Shooting Range Killing, Man Dies at Pennsylvania Gun Club
18 February 2011
WFMZ-TV News (Pennsylvania)
NORTH WHITEHALL Township, Pennsylvania - The coroner and state police are investigating the apparent shooting death of a person at a gun range.
The Lehigh County Coroner says Arthur Lichenwalner, 61, of Lehigh Township died at 11:40 Friday morning at Ranger Lake Rod and Gun Club in North Whitehall Township.
That's in the 2400 block of Quarry Street.
He died from a gunshot wound to the body.
The incident happened at 10:39am.
State police at Bethlehem, who are... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Culture, Assault Weapons at Home Under Fire in Referendum
9 February 2011
Associated Press
BUEREN AN DER AARE, Switzerland — The neutral Swiss do love their guns and their frequent, citizen-inspired referendums. Those two deeply cherished rights collide this weekend as Swiss voters decide whether to impose far-reaching restrictions on firearms.
The nationwide vote Sunday pits critics of Switzerland's high rate of firearms suicides against those who fear tighter rules may hurt the country's beloved village shooting clubs or cripple its citizen... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Club Joins Bereaved Family, Urges Tough Vetting of Oz Shooters
25 January 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The family of Vincent "Lalin" Fernando, who was allegedly killed by his mentally ill daughter with a pistol she had stolen from a gun club, has called for the independent vetting of unlicensed shooters.
Their call has received unexpected support from the Sydney Pistol Club, the club Ms Fernando joined and from which she stole the gun. Its president, Jan Ryan, said she would welcome a return to the old legislation when unlicensed shooters were thoroughly checked by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Unlicensed Australian Woman Borrowed Pistol from Gun Club, Shot Father
22 January 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
A mentally ill woman allegedly killed her father with a gun she stole from a pistol club she had been allowed to join despite her illness.
The tragic case of Shamin Fernando, who allegedly shot her father Vincent "Lalin" Fernando, 70, in her Glebe home in August, highlights questions about the checks on those using firearms in NSW.
It has also sparked a battle between the Sydney Pistol Club and police trying to suspend its licence - yet another in a series of... (GunPolicy.org)
Massachusetts Machine Gun Fun Shoot was 'Safe,' But 8yr-old Boy Died
10 January 2011
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - A gun club where an 8-year-old boy accidentally killed himself with an Uzi first agreed to hold a machine gun shoot a decade ago when the organizer told club officials it was legal and safe, one of those officials testified Monday.
Steven Sklarski, recording secretary for the Westfield Sportsman's Club, testified on the fifth day of the manslaughter trial of former Pelham, Mass., Police Chief Edward Fleury.
The club had held the event for... (GunPolicy.org)
US Outdoor Gun Ranges Under Fire As Noise, Stray Bullets Hit Neighbours
17 December 2010
USA Today
ST. CLOUD, Minnessota — Louise Neeser was doing yard work outside her home here last May when something struck her in the face. Dazed and bleeding, she crawled into the house, where a relative took her to the hospital.
Doctors told her something had torn through the side of her face. She was left with permanent jaw and eye damage and debilitating headaches, and says she lives in fear of letting her three children play outdoors.
"It's changed every bit of our life,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Oz Gun Owners 'Outraged' as Flak Follows Shootings, Club Handgun Theft
11 December 2010
Gold Coast Bulletin (Australia)
Gold Coast Pistol Club officials have hit back at comments condemning the use of handguns, saying gun owners are not criminals and the process prospective owners must complete before getting a weapon is thorough.
Members of the club were outraged on Thursday by comments from Gun Control Australia president John Crook, who called for handguns to be banned in Australia because they serve no useful purpose and are often the target of thieves wanting to sell them on the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun-crazy Singaporeans Must Join Club, Get Licence, Register Weapons
10 December 2010
Straits Times (Singapore)
Most Singaporeans think gun ownership is banned in Singapore. Not true. You can own a gun in Singapore, but it comes with several restrictions.
First, you have to be a member of the Singapore Gun Club. Membership will set you back $1,980 for the entrance fee, and an additional $300 per month.
Then, you will have to apply for an Arms and Explosives licence from the Singapore Police Force. Once the police grants you a licence, you can purchase your own firearm from a... (GunPolicy.org)
Robbers Take 24 Handguns from Australian Gun Club: Police Retrieve 14
10 December 2010
Australian Associated Press
Queensland police have appealed for public assistance in finding 10 handguns stolen from a Brisbane gun club.
They have recovered 14 of 24 guns stolen at gunpoint from the Sporting Shooters Association's Belmont club at 6.35am (AEST) last Thursday.
The public was not informed until police addressed a media conference eight days later, on Friday. They said they delayed the announcement out of concern for investigating officers' safety.
Four people have been charged... (GunPolicy.org)
Judge Will Let Jurors See Video of 8yr-old Being Killed by Uzi at Gun Show
8 December 2010
New York Times
BOSTON — A judge ruled Tuesday that jurors can be shown video of an 8-year-old boy accidentally shooting himself in the head with a submachine gun at a gun show, setting up an unusually grisly courtroom scene in the manslaughter trial of a former police chief who organized the event.
Judge Peter A. Velis of Hampden Superior Court in Springfield, Mass., is still deciding whether audio from after the shooting — in which the boy can be heard screaming and his father... (GunPolicy.org)
Trial Begins in Case of 8yr-old Killed Firing Uzi at Massachusetts Gun Show
5 December 2010
Associated Press
BOSTON - Eight-year-old Christopher Bizilj — 4-foot-3 and 66 pounds — stepped up to the firing range to shoot an Uzi as his father and 11-year-old brother watched from a few feet away.
As Christopher fired the 9mm micro submachine gun at a pumpkin, the weapon flipped backward and shot him in the head. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Prosecutors brought manslaughter charges against the gun club where the machine gun shoot took place, two men who supplied... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Twin Sisters Rent Guns for Suicide Pact at Colorado Gun Club
17 November 2010
Australian (Sydney)
Australian twin sisters have been shot at a Colorado shooting range in a bizarre incident that has left one dead and the other critically wounded.
The 29-year-old siblings were simultaneously shot in the head at around 2.50pm local time on Monday at the Cherry Creek State Park shooting range southeast of Denver, the Denver Post reported today.
Reports suggest a suicide pact is suspected but police have not said whether the shooting was accidental or intentional.
One... (GunPolicy.org)
US Supreme Court Justice Scalia Teaches Justice Elena Kagan to Shoot?
25 October 2010
Daily Caller (USA)
According to two witnesses, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia took fellow Justice Elena Kagan out for a lesson in skeet shooting at his shooting club in Virginia last week.
The witnesses saw Scalia at the Fairfax Rod and Gun Club, where he is a member, around noon on Wednesday of last week. He was with a woman who was noticeably diminutive in height, like Kagan, who stands at about five feet three inches. The witnesses, who got a very close look at the pair, say... (GunPolicy.org)
Suicidal Man, Woman Rented Guns, Died at Adelaide Shooting Range
6 September 2010
Advertiser (Adelaide)
A firearms notification was issued two weeks before Julia Morris walked into a city shooting range and committed suicide, a court has heard.
Earlier that same day October 23, 2008 Ms Morris had been released from hospital after an earlier suicide attempt.
State Coroner Mark Johns is investigating the deaths of Ms Morris and Raymond Glenn Jast five months later on March 25, 2009 in another shooting suicide at the Marksman Indoor Firing Range on Franklin St,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Club Loses Enthusiasts, Weapons Because of Canadian Gun Registry
2 September 2010
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
Long gun registry hurting membership at Winnipeg Trap and Skeet Club
Winnipeg Trap and Skeet Club president David Mosscrop says the long gun registry has had a negative impact on recreational shooting.
The president of the Oak Bluff-based Winnipeg Trap and Skeet Club says the country's long gun registry has had a devastating impact on the club's membership.
Club president David Mosscrop said that the number of recreational gun enthusiasts who use the club has... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Club Target Shooter with Legal Assault Rifle Killed 7, Self in Slovakia
31 August 2010
Agence France Presse
BRATISLAVA — Conflicts with his Roma neighbours were a likely motive behind a shooting rampage in which a gunman killed seven people in Bratislava before turning the gun on himself, police said Tuesday.
Lubomir Harman, 48, whose victims included his five Roma neighbours, their relative and a woman standing on a balcony, was shot by a police bullet to the chest before he killed himself, the police added, a day after the bloodbath.
"We don't yet know the motive, but... (GunPolicy.org)
School Mass Shootings Prompt Finland to Restrict Handgun Licensing
16 August 2010
BBC News
When Finland experienced two school shootings in just 10 months it sparked a national debate about the country's relatively relaxed gun laws, now the government hopes new legislation will reduce the number of guns in the country and make another mass shooting less likely in the future.
In 2007, 18-year-old Pekka-Eric Auvinen walked into Jokela High School in the town of Tuusula where he was studying. He shot seven pupils and the head teacher, before turning the gun on... (GunPolicy.org)
Michigan Township Faces $1.1 Million Gun Club Lead Pollution Cleanup
29 July 2010
Record-Eagle (Michigan)
Taxpayers in Elk Rapids Township will decide if they should chip in about $800,000 toward a $1.1 million cleanup of lead contamination at the former Elk Rapids Sportsman's Club.
The township will ask voters on Tuesday for a 0.5-mill levy for seven years that will raise $112,000 its first year. The millage would cost the owner of a home with a taxable value of $75,000 an additional $37.50 a year in property taxes.
The township wants the money to remove lead bullets... (GunPolicy.org)
Pittsburgh Gun Club Raided for Selling Alcohol as Speakeasy, Say Police
27 July 2010
Tribune-Review (Pittsburgh)
Two Fayette County social clubs were raided by state police Sunday evening for allegedly selling alcohol without a liquor license.
Troopers with the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement raided the Monarch Volunteer Fire Department in Dunbar Township and the Continental No. 2 Rod & Gun Club in South Union at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Robert W. George, acting commander of the bureau's Pittsburgh district office, said the two clubs were operating as... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman Shot 2 at Ontario Shooting Club, Charged with Careless Gun Use
27 July 2010
Innisfil Journal (Ontario)
INNISFIL - Two people received minor gunshot wounds after a shotgun was accidentally discharged Saturday at shooting range in Innisfil.
According to South Simcoe Police, pellets from the shotgun shell ricocheted off the cement floor and struck two people. One was struck in the shin, the other was hit in the legs and chest. Both parties were transported to hospital, where they were treated and released with minor injuries.
A 53-year-old Toronto woman was charged... (GunPolicy.org)
Random Gun Killer was Licensed Member of English Pistol, Rifle Club
1 July 2010
Burton Mail (UK)
A maniac who murdered a father-of-three in a 'random' shooting was a member of a South Derbyshire gun club.
Colin Cheetham, 61, who was convicted of murdering cabbie Stuart Ludlam, was a member of Swadlincote Rifle and Pistol Club, which is based off Park Road, in Newhall.
Club chairman Neil Barker said: "We can confirm that Mr Cheetham is a member of the club but was suspended as a precautionary measure after the police made us aware of the situation. Now that the... (GunPolicy.org)
Government Decision Stops American Military Owning Guns in Germany
15 June 2010
Stars and Stripes (USA)
WIESBADEN, Germany — Americans are unable to register privately owned firearms in Germany after the German government halted the program recently.
Problems began a couple of months ago when Installation Management Command officials in Europe moved the person responsible for signing certificates needed to purchase and register weapons from Munich to Grafenwöhr.
"That wasn't perceived by us to be a change to the program, but the Germans did," said Dan Gasparino,... (GunPolicy.org)
Second Man Commits Suicide with Rented Gun at Canadian Pistol Club
31 March 2010
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
For the second time in three months, staff at a southeast shooting range are receiving counselling after a man died at the facility.
J.R. Cox, owner of The Shooting Edge, said a man in his mid-20s committed suicide at the range Tuesday, despite the efforts of a staff member to stop him.
The man, who was a first-time customer, came in alone at about 5 p.m., said Cox, adding there were no other patrons in the area.
"Our range officer was attentive and tried to stop the... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Toronto Handgun Owner Aced Safety Test, Then Killed Passerby
12 February 2010
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
In the months leading up to the shooting death of innocent bystander John O'Keefe, the man accused of firing the fatal bullet sat through a gun safety course, aced a test, then fired round after round under watchful eyes of certified instructors, a second-degree murder trial heard Friday.
It was Sept, 7, 2007 that Edward Paredes, now 24, walked into the Grange Firearms Association north of Toronto and submitted his application for membership.
Paredes had already... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Shot Dead in Apparent Suicide at Licensed UK Gun Club
18 January 2010
Leicester Mercury (UK)
The death of a man at a gun club in Harborough Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, is not being treated as suspicious.
Police were called to Kibworth Gun Club, on the A6 at Kibworth Beauchamp, at 2.15pm on Friday following reports that a man had been shot.
Officers said the man's body was found near the club buildings, close to a range. Paramedics were called and pronounced the man dead at the scene.
The victim, a man in his 50s, has not been named by police. Officers... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Pistol Club Shooter Arrested for Hungarian University Killing
30 November 2009
Hungary Around the Clock (Budapest)
A court of the city of Pecs (S Hungary) has ordered the pre-trial detention of the young man who shot four people, killing one of them, at Pecs University earlier this week, Judge Istvan Hajdu told the press on Saturday.
The 23-year-old pharmacology student gave himself up shortly after firing shots at his classmates, a lab worker and a cleaning woman in the biophysics research centre of the university just before noon on Thursday. His motivation is still unknown.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Student, Club Shooter Kills 1, Injures 3 in Hungarian University Shooting
27 November 2009
Hungary Around the Clock (Budapest)
A pharmacology student fired shots inside a building of Pecs University in the south of Hungary just before noon on Thursday, killing a classmate and wounding another student, a male lab worker and a cleaning woman, local county police chief told the press from the site.
Police have arrested the attacker, a 23 year-old man, who gave himself up over the phone shortly after firing the shots with a handgun, Jozsef Dakos said.
He is said to have attended a lab class with... (GunPolicy.org)
Saipan Gun Club Caretaker Planned Mass Shooting, Left Notes, Killed 5
23 November 2009
Saipan Tribune
Investigators recovered several notes that indicated that the gunman planned Friday's shooting rampage that left five people dead, including the suspect, and eight others wounded.
Department of Public Safety spokesman Jason Tarkong said yesterday that detectives from the DPS Criminal Investigation Division found several notes left by the suspect, Zhong Ren Li.
Tarkong said the 42-year-old Li was the alleged caretaker of the shooting range, which has been closed for... (GunPolicy.org)
Family Sues Massachusetts Gun Club After 8yr-old Boy Died Firing Uzi
10 November 2009
Daily Hampshire Gazette (Massachusetts)
SPRINGFIELD — The Micro Uzi machine gun that killed 8-year-old Christopher K. Bizilj at a Westfield gun fair last October reportedly jammed twice and was inspected by a 15-year-old boy before it slipped from Christopher's grasp and discharged, according to a $4 million wrongful death lawsuit filed Monday.
Christopher was shot through the head at the "Great New England Pumpkin Shoot" last year, an event the suit alleges was advertised as "an opportunity to shoot... (GunPolicy.org)
Massachusetts Gun Clubs All Fired Up at Tough New Range Restrictions
22 October 2009
Boston Globe
BRAINTREE, Massachusetts — Once a month on a Saturday, the Braintree Rifle & Pistol Club hosts the Second Amendment Sisters, a national organization that advocates and provides firearms training for women.
Women who have never held a gun before are invited to learn to shoot. The club provides the weapons and ammunition, and the cost to the woman learning typically does not exceed $10.
The novices will have different goals: Some want to feel safer when walking... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owner Shoots Both His Daughters by Mistake at Maryland Pistol Club
5 October 2009
Associated Press
NORTH EAST — Two women were shot at a Cecil County pistol range in what Natural Resources Police say was likely an accidental shooting.
Sgt. Art Windemuth says a Joppa man was teaching his two daughters how to use a 9mm handgun at the Elk Neck State Forest pistol range on Sunday when it discharged.
He says the bullet struck man's 23-year-old daughter in the arm and a 27-year-old woman downrange in the leg.
The 27-year-old woman was flown to Shock Trauma in... (GunPolicy.org)
Cheap Handgun 'Fires On Its Own' at Florida Gun Club, Shoots 3 People
5 October 2009
St Petersburg Times (Florida)
TAMPA — Michael Thourot had just pulled his hand away from the warm metal when it started spewing bullets.
Moments before, Sherri Thourot had watched her husband fire and reload the Jennings 9mm. Then he set it down for her to shoot next at the range.
That's when the handgun started firing on its own, she said, spinning around in circles, landing the Thourots and an Irish tourist in the hospital.
"Nothing like that has ever happened," said Sherri Thourot on... (GunPolicy.org)
Machine Gun Death of 8yr-old Heralds Gun Club Curbs in Massachusetts
20 September 2009
Boston Globe
The Turkey Shoot at the Shirley Rod and Gun Club is not what you might expect.
First, the club buys some frozen turkeys at the supermarket. Then there are target-shooting competitions for hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols. The winners take home the frozen birds. Last year, the club gave away about 300 of them.
Still, the club's Thanksgiving tradition, its largest fund-raiser of the year, has been around for as long as anyone can remember. But this year's Turkey... (GunPolicy.org)
Another US Gun Club Member Uses Range, Rented Handgun in Suicide
8 September 2009
Tulsa World (Oklahoma)
A customer at an indoor gun range killed himself with a pistol he had just rented from the facility Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The 40-year-old man was pronounced dead at Tulsa Firearms, at 61st Street and Garnett Road, EMSA spokeswoman Tina Wells said.
Detective Demita Kinard said the man had a single gunshot wound to the head. The shooting happened about 4:15 p.m.
Kinard said the man was by himself and didn't appear to be distressed when he went to the... (GunPolicy.org)
US TV Host Loves Firing Guns, But They 'Shouldn't be Allowed at Home'
1 September 2009
Business & Media Institute (USA)
Rachel Maddow, gun lover? Well, sort of. And with some strings attached.
The MSNBC host of the "The Rachel Maddow Show" appeared on Jimmy Fallon's Aug. 31 NBC show and told the host about her first date — at a shooting range.
"My first date with my girlfriend Susan was at a shooting range," Maddow said. "That was awesome. It was ladies' day on the range. Her sister is a lifetime NRA member and she was organizing ladies' day on the range at her gun club. So we did... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Intercepts Shipment of Assault Rifles 'From Indonesia to Mali'
30 August 2009
Jakarta Globe
The recent seizure by Philippine customs officers of a cargo vessel carrying firearms manufactured in Indonesia is raising more questions than answers in both countries, with Indonesia questioning the motives for the bust and a lawmaker calling for answers from the central government.
Military Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso said over the weekend that PT Pindad, the state-owned military equipment manufacturer, had been authorized to export the shipment of assault rifles and... (GunPolicy.org)
Pistol Club Members Open Safes, Give Handguns to Aussie Robbers
27 August 2009
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Police are hunting armed bandits who have stolen more than $30,000 worth of guns in targeted home invasions in Melbourne's south-east.
Police fear the guns could be sold on the black market or used to commit further violent crimes.
The chilling ambush attacks on family homes in Trafalgar, on August 19, and Hampton Park, in June, are almost identical, with a crew of five masked men storming both houses in search for guns.
In the Hampton Park attack, a woman and her... (GunPolicy.org)
Home Invaders Target Australian Gun Club Members for Their Handguns
26 August 2009
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
Victorian police fear a gang has built up a cache of weapons from two separate home invasions in which guns and ammunition were stolen.
Police believe the raids at Trafalgar, in the state's southeast, and at Hampton Park, southeast of Melbourne, are linked.
On August 19, five men, all wearing balaclavas and one brandishing a gun, forced their way into the Trafalgar home at about 9.15pm.
Police say the bandits forced a 35-year-old man to open his gun safe, stole... (GunPolicy.org)
Police to Give 2 Weeks Notice Before Inspecting Private Guns in Finland
16 August 2009
YLE (Finland)
New gun control legislation may give police new enforcement powers. The Sunday newspaper supplement Sunnuntaisuomalainen writes that new legislation, under preparation, will allow the police to inspect the homes of gun permit holders without the need to establish suspicion of a crime.
However, they will have to inform the permit holder of their intention two weeks in advance.
Tougher gun laws being formulated in the wake of school shootings in Finland will require... (GunPolicy.org)
Shoot 'em Up on the Fourth; Regular 4 July Machine Gun Shoot in Florida
4 July 2009
Hernando Today (Florida)
CHASSAHOWITZKA — They wore earplugs and had to scream over machine gun fire, but that didn't stop a couple of gung ho firearms enthusiasts from swapping a few jokes.
"Is this what July 4 is all about?" one guy screamed to another.
"If I heard (Thomas) Jefferson correctly, he said do this every 4th of July!" he answered.
Seconds later, someone fired off 100 rounds from a custom-made, chopped-down, .223-caliber HK53K.
The 4-inch barrel did nothing to muffle the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Club Mates: Dead Shooter 'Just Like Anyone Else - He Liked Guns'
30 June 2009
New Zealand Herald
A gun club that helped hone the capabilities of a disabled gunman shot dead by police says it could not have foreseen such a tragic event.
Wheelchair-bound Shayne Richard Sime, 42, was killed by members of the armed offenders squad at his Christchurch home on Sunday night after firing more than 100 rounds, wounding an AOS member and a neighbour, and damaging homes in the area that had to be evacuated.
The injured AOS member has had surgery to remove shotgun pellets... (GunPolicy.org)
Dead New Zealand Gunman Had Firearm Licence, Despite History
29 June 2009
New Zealand Herald / NZPA
The 42-year-old paraplegic man killed during a shoot-out with police in the Christchurch suburb of Burnside was a licensed firearms holder.
Shayne Sime's body was removed from the scene this afternoon but police caution their investigation is likely to be lengthy.
A post mortem on Mr Sime will start this evening and continue into tomorrow.
Detective Superintendent Brett Kane said that Mr Sime had been a licensed firearms holder since 2006, which gave him a licence to... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Drives to Florida, Rents Gun, Commits 4th Recent Gun Club Suicide
23 June 2009
Associated Press
DELRAY BEACH, Florida — Authorities say a man fatally shot himself after renting a gun at a Delray Beach shooting range.
Employees found the man, who has not been identified, dead of a single gunshot wound Tuesday afternoon at Delray Shooting Center.
Police say the man came to Florida from another state and rented a car Tuesday morning. He went to the range, rented a revolver and fired several hundred rounds. Police say he waited for two other patrons to leave... (GunPolicy.org)
New Gun Law Tightens German Background Checks, Age Limits, Storage
28 May 2009
Associated Press
BERLIN — Germany's cabinet approved legislation that would tighten gun restrictions, two months after a teenager shot and killed 12 people.
The law, which requires parliamentary approval, would mean stricter checks on weapons owners and a higher age limit for users of large-caliber weapons.
Calls for tougher laws followed the March 11 shooting spree in which Tim Kretschmer, 17 years old, used a pistol taken from his father's bedroom to kill students and teachers at... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Struggles With Gun Laws as Shooters' Lobby Rebuilds Support
12 April 2009
Times (UK)
In a low-ceilinged room in west Berlin, a gunman steadies himself, aims and fires. The noise is startling even through sizeable ear protectors, but he doesn't flinch before pulling the trigger again. Despite the Magnum revolver he looks like an off-duty lawyer, which he is, down to his shiny brown brogues.
Next to him, firing a similar weapon at the cardboard targets 25 metres away, is a ginger-bearded mechanic in a baseball cap. It is practice night at... (GunPolicy.org)
Another Licensed German Shooting Club Member Kills in Gun Rampage
8 April 2009
Agence France Presse
LANDSHUT, Germany — A gunman killed one person then himself on Tuesday in a rampage at a German courthouse, police said, in a country still shaken after a teenage shooter murdered 15 people less than a month ago.
A 60-year-old man shot dead his sister-in-law, 48, during a recess from a hearing in the southern city of Landshut in a long-running inheritance dispute, a police spokesman said.
He then shot and wounded a lawyer involved in the case and another... (GunPolicy.org)
Fear, Nazism, Racism, Obama Paranoia at Famous US Gun Club Event
7 April 2009
Washington Independent (Washington, DC)
WEST POINT, Kentucky — The sound of gunfire rumbles and echoes from half a mile away, long before anyone can see the entrance. The walk up to the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot starts on the country road outside the range, lined with cars from Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Georgia. Their occupants scramble for space before grabbing their ammo and starting uphill. They trudge through dirt that mostly, mercifully, has not yet turned into mud, and up to a gate where for $10... (GunPolicy.org)
New Law Would Ban Machine Guns for Children Under 16 in Connecticut
1 April 2009
Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
Responding to the tragic death of an 8-year-old Connecticut boy at a Massachusetts gun club, a key legislative committee voted Tuesday on a measure designed to keep machine guns out of the hands of anyone under 16.
The judiciary committee passed the bill, which prohibits the physical transfer of such weapons to children, in response to the death of Christopher K. Bizilj, an Ashford boy who lost control of a Micro Uzi submachine gun and accidentally shot himself in the... (GunPolicy.org)
German Chancellor Mulls Tighter Gun Law, 78% Want Private Gun Ban
15 March 2009
Reuters
BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for greater supervision of her country's gun laws on Sunday, after a teenager shot dead 15 people last week before killing himself.
Merkel said she had been stunned by the massacre in the southwestern town of Winnenden, where 17-year-old Tim Kretschmer shot 15 people with his father's pistol, including 12 at his former school.
Merkel told Deutschlandfunk radio it was crucial that rules about the storage of weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Shocked Gun Club Colleagues Condemn Parents of German Mass Killer
13 March 2009
BBC News
The shootings in southern Germany on Wednesday by the 17-year-old Tim Kretschmer has turned the spotlight on the country's gun laws. Heike Karkinsky has been speaking to members of a shooting club near Hamburg for their views.
Ilse Ringelmann reloads her rifle with manicured hands. She focuses on the paper target 50m (54 yards) in front of her, her sandaled feet lodged firmly on the concrete floor.
The air smells of gunpowder and car tyres. A shot cracks through the... (GunPolicy.org)
German Gun Club Killer Had 'Deep Fascination with Guns, Ready Access'
13 March 2009
Australian (Sydney) / Times (UK)
The "unremarkable" teenage killer who went on a rampage in southern Germany on Wednesday with his father's Beretta had a deep fascination with guns and ready access to a domestic arsenal.
To most who knew him, Tim Kretschmer seemed normal, but the 17-year-old from an affluent family, who came back to terrorise the school he left last year with poor grades, had a dark side that few would have guessed at.
His father, Jorg, who runs a packaging company that employs 20... (GunPolicy.org)
Detectives' Union Says German Gun Storage Law Weak, 'Not Enforced'
12 March 2009
Wall Street Journal
BERLIN — A shooting rampage that began in a southern German school on Wednesday and left 16 dead is likely to stoke fresh debate in Europe about gun control and public security.
The shooting began about 9:30 a.m., when 17-year-old Tim Kretschmer, a former student, entered Albertville high school in Winnenden, a suburb of Stuttgart. He killed nine students and three teachers with a Beretta 9mm pistol before fleeing, police say. In Winnenden, he killed a passerby and... (GunPolicy.org)
Dad's Legal Handgun Killed 16, Storage 'Negligent,' Say German Police
12 March 2009
Reuters
WINNENDEN, Germany — German authorities are looking into whether to press charges against the gun-collecting father of the teenager who went on a shooting rampage at his former school on Wednesday, killing 15 people.
The motive for the attack by 17-year-old Tim Kretschmer remained unclear a day after the massacre in the southwestern town of Winnenden.
The teenager, who neighbours described as a loner with a fondness for violent videos, appears to have taken his own... (GunPolicy.org)
Stuttgart, Alabama Shooting Massacres Restart Debate on Gun Control
12 March 2009
Financial Times (UK)
Two shooting massacres in Germany and America this week have reignited the debate about gun control, but while Europe has in the past been ready to tighten its tough restrictions, the US remains more resistant to change.
Germany was in shock on Wednesday after a teenage gunman shot 15 people near Stuttgart, in one of the worst incidents of its kind in the country.
In the US on Tuesday, a man went on a shooting spree in Alabama after setting his mother on fire in her... (GunPolicy.org)
German Gunman Targeted Female Students, Hit Most in Head, Killed 15
12 March 2009
CNN
WINNENDEN, Germany — A gunman dressed in military gear killed 15 people Wednesday in a shooting spree in Germany, police said.
Tim Kretschmer, 17, began his rampage at a school where he used to be a student in Winnenden, a small town about 20 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Stuttgart.
Most of the victims at the school were female — eight female students, three female teachers and one male student, said Heribert Rech, interior minister for Baden Wuerttemberg... (GunPolicy.org)
Feds Say Thieves from Reno Lifted 27 Firearms from California Gun Club
3 March 2009
Reno Gazette-Journal
Two Reno-area men has been arrested in the theft of guns from a Plumas County, Calif., gun club, authorities said.
Sixteen firearms have been recovered but the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms asks for the public's help in finding 11 still missing.
The Sierra Valley Gun Club reported the 27 weapons missing on Dec. 14 and the Reno Police Department's Street Enforcement Team told the ATF it had a report of a Sparks man offering stolen guns for sale, the ATF said... (GunPolicy.org)
Convicted Handgun Collector Bemoans Latest Theft of 80 Legal Firearms
13 February 2009
Toronto Star (Ontario)
Gary Gordaneer collected guns most of his life — but no more.
He was given his first, a .22 repeating rifle, as an 11-year-old boy.
By 62, Gordaneer had accumulated as many as 80 weapons, which he estimates were worth about $500,000.
"Now, they're all gone," says Gordaneer, 65.
Three years ago, thieves broke into Gordaneer's Mississauga apartment.
They busted through the front door and jimmied open three of the four large metal storage lockers.
The suspects made... (GunPolicy.org)
Massachusetts Suburb Hit by Stray Bullets, Locals Try to Close Gun Club
3 February 2009
Quincy Patriot-Ledger (Massachusetts)
BROCKTON — Three months after a stray bullet crashed through the window of a Heritage Trail home, residents have asked a judge to halt gunfire at the nearby Scituate Rod and Gun Club.
Fifteen plaintiffs, all residents of Heritage Trail and Clapp Road, have requested an injunction that would temporarily stop the club from using its ranges — which they believe are the source of four stray bullets that have entered their neighborhood since 2004.
"Until an injunction... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Crime, Stray Bullet Survivors Urge Toronto Handgun Ban [Part 1 of 2]
26 December 2008
National Post (Toronto)
In 2008, the shooting deaths of several innocent Torontonians rocked the city. In June, Dylan Ellis and Oliver Martin, both 25, were killed while waiting for a friend in an SUV parked on Richmond Street West. In January, John O'Keefe, a 42-year-old father, was walking home along Yonge Street when he crossed into the path of gunfire and was shot in the head.
This Fall, we were also made to remember the Boxing Day 2005 shooting death of 15-year-old Jane Creba; the first... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Chief Pleads Not Guilty in Uzi Death of 8yr-old Boy at US Gun Club
23 December 2008
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts — A police chief in western Massachusetts pleaded not guilty Monday to involuntary manslaughter in the death of an 8-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself with an Uzi at a gun show.
Pelham Chief Edward Fleury owns COPS Firearms & Training, which promoted the October show where Christopher Bizilj shot himself in the head.
Fleury's lawyer, David Kuzmeski, also entered not guilty pleas on Fleury's behalf to four counts of furnishing a... (GunPolicy.org)
Queensland Cop, Drug Dealer, Pistol Club Member Traded Police Glock
18 December 2008
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
A developer was fitted with a body wire to trap a drug dealer who traded a Gold Coast police officer two surfboards for a stolen police pistol, a court has been told.
Gold Coast police officer Christopher Curtin is facing a committal hearing charged with stealing the Glock .22 handgun from the Surfers Paradise police station and swapping it for two surfboards with NSW drug dealer and surfboard maker Brian Kellway.
He is also charged with possessing tainted property... (GunPolicy.org)
Glock from QLD Police Safe Traded to Drug Dealer, Pistol Club Member
17 December 2008
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
A NSW drug dealer traded a Gold Coast policeman two surfboards for a stolen police gun so he could go pig shooting, a court has been told.
Convicted drug dealer and surfboard maker Brian Kellway gave evidence yesterday at the committal hearing into charges against Senior Constable Christopher Curtin.
Curtin has been charged with stealing the Glock handgun from a gun safe at the Surfers Paradise police station in March 2001, and with receiving tainted property —... (GunPolicy.org)
Premier to Consider Tightening Gun Laws in Australia's Largest State
15 December 2008
Sydney Morning Herald
The State Government has commissioned a report into gun crime six months after backing Shooters' Party amendments that watered down gun ownership laws.
The Premier, Nathan Rees, sought to temper the Government's stance on the issue yesterday, saying he would review the amendments this week when the report was handed down by the Attorney-General's department.
But even as Mr Rees delivered his comments, the Police Minister, Tony Kelly, held a media conference defending... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish Gun Enthusiasts 'Caught in Political Crossfire' of New Handgun Ban
13 December 2008
Irish Times
On a bitterly cold Sunday morning in the depths of rural Co Cork, a man wearing earmuffs and thick goggles lifts a heavy rifle onto his shoulder and lines up his shot. He takes aim at his defenceless target 50 metres away. He smiles as he hits his target and prepares to reload.
There is no scream of pain or shock, no blood or gore in sight, no damage caused at all, really, apart from a small hole in a large sheet of white paper.
The man is one of over 100 members of... (GunPolicy.org)
American Gun Clubs Tout Safety Record After 14yr-old Boy's Uzi Death
12 December 2008
Associated Press
BOSTON — Gun control advocates are hoping that manslaughter indictments in the death of an 8-year-old boy who was allowed to fire an Uzi during a gun fair will have a chilling effect nationally on gun shows that encourage the participation of children.
But enthusiasts say gun ranges are remarkably safe and that most shows do not feature live shooting like the one in Westfield where Christopher Bizilj, of Ashford, Conn., lost control of the powerful automatic weapon... (GunPolicy.org)
8yr-old Dies at Gun Club: Massachusetts May Ban Machine Guns for Kids
5 December 2008
Republican (Massachusetts)
BOSTON — State legislators called for tightening laws on gun clubs and the use of weapons by minors, following the criminal charges issued on Thursday in the death of an 8-year-old Connecticut boy who accidentally shot himself with a submachine gun at the Westfield Sportsman's Club.
State Rep. Michael A. Costello, co-chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, said he would hold an oversight hearing and take testimony to determine what laws... (GunPolicy.org)
