Top of PageGun Policy News
US infantry assault weapon in the news
Questions Over Gun Ownership Rates in Israel as Gun Crime, Theft Rises
26 April 2013
Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv)
A 36-year-old mother of four was killed Tuesday by a gunshot in the Galilee village of Rama. Preliminary evidence shows she was killed while her husband, a career soldier in the Israeli army, who possesses a registered weapon as part of his duties, was cleaning his weapon. The loaded firearm apparently discharged a bullet by accident, hitting the woman.
This incident raises – yet again – the question of whether there is a need for all members of the Israeli armed... (GunPolicy.org)
The Gun Fighter: Garen Wintemute's Battle for US Gun Violence Research
24 April 2013
Nature
With his crisp blue suit and wire-framed spectacles, Garen Wintemute hardly looked frightening as he stepped to the podium last month to address a conference on paediatric emergency medicine in San Francisco, California. But his presence there made the organizers nervous.
Wintemute, an emergency-department doctor, is better known as the director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California (UC), Davis. As such, he has published dozens of... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Crime Falls 20% in London in a Year, Youth Crime Down 30%
23 April 2013
BBC News
The number of people affected by serious youth violence fell by 30% with 1,900 fewer victims over the past financial year, according to the Met.
Overall, recorded crime in London fell by about 6% with 45,000 fewer reports between 2012-13.
The Met said personal thefts have gone up by 17% on the year before, with 70% involving mobile phones being taken.
Former Met officer Mike Pannett said he was concerned how the crime reduction would continue to improve.
He said:... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada: 'Gun Shy' Govt Hushed Up Firearm Registry Destruction Bash
21 April 2013
Calgary Herald (Alberta) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Public servants spent a full month, at the "urgent" request of Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, preparing two splashy announcements heralding the destruction of the long-gun registry data — only to have the events cancelled at the last moment without explanation.
The final deletion of millions of registry records last October 31 could be seen as a crowning achievement for a Conservative government that had campaigned against the registry for more than a... (GunPolicy.org)
Algeria Authorities Intercept Arms Being Smuggled to Mali
16 April 2013
Magharebia (USA)
Algerian security forces on Saturday (April 13th) intercepted an arms shipment from Libya to terrorists in northern Mali.
Special Forces eliminated five terrorists during the operation. They reportedly belonged to al-Qaeda splinter group Movement for Tawhid and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) and were in charge of protecting the arms shipment.
Wakt El Djazair quoted a security source as saying that a counter-terrorism military unit, supported by two helicopters, was able... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Military Loses 200 Guns in Fire
8 April 2013
Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) lost more than 200 assault rifles and machine guns in a fire that razed its firearms supply building in Zamboanga del Sur over the weekend.
Belated reports reaching the Armed Forces of the Philippines' main headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo said that the blaze that hit the 1st Infantry Division Training Unit (IDTU) Supply building at Upper Labangan, Pulacan in Pagadian City, started with an explosion.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Publishes Study Claiming US Schools Need Armed Guards
3 April 2013
Washington Post
A 225-page study commissioned by the National Rifle Association has endorsed and amplified the gun rights group's immediate response to the mass killing in Newtown, Conn.: that all schools in the United States should have police or armed staff members trained to confront a shooter.
Although ostensibly independent of the NRA, the examination of school safety issues, released Tuesday, provides the organization with an alternative narrative to the various gun-control... (GunPolicy.org)
One Stolen Gun Blazes a Violent Path – A Typical Tale from Any City
22 March 2013
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St Paul)
Thomas Allen Hoffman was looking for a "cheapie."
In the spring of 2007, he browsed a North Mankato gun dealer's collection for a Hi-Point pistol, one of the least expensive handguns on the market.
Hoffman wanted the gun for personal protection.
He paid $150 to the Red Bear Hunting Emporium and took home a Hi-Point C-9 9mm semiautomatic pistol, serial #P1352366. But soon the gun was stolen, changed hands, then changed hands again, spiraling beyond the bounds of... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun-Related Deaths: How Australia Stepped Off "The American Path"
12 March 2013
American College of Physicians - Annals of Internal Medicine
Australia and the United States share many characteristics. Both are English-speaking democracies of multicultural immigrants. The 2 nations have been allies for nearly a century. Australians and Americans consume similar diets of movies, video games, popular music, recreational drugs, and alcohol. Both have vast interiors, early histories of armed European settlers mistreating native populations, plenty of feral pests to shoot, and many firearm enthusiasts. Yet the 2... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: American College of Physicians - Annals of Internal Medicine
US Gun Control Fight in Danger of Being Lost
3 March 2013
United Press International
WASHINGTON - As the images of 20 first-graders massacred in Connecticut, of the horrific attack on former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others in Arizona, of the slaughter of movie-goers in Aurora, Colo., and of numerous other mass killings in the United States fade in the national memory, the fervor to restrict access to some types of weapons and magazines appears to be abating.
The debate on gun control itself has largely been subsumed in recent weeks by concern over... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Bullets Cost the Same as Bread in Jamaica
3 March 2013
Gleaner (Jamaica)
In Jamaica, a loaf of bread retails at a corner shop for about $235 while a single 9mm bullet can be bought for about $280 or less. The degree of difficulty in purchasing the bread or the bullet is relatively the same: zero.
A special Sunday Gleaner probe has confirmed that one does not have to work up a sweat to buy bullets on the streets of Jamaica. It is literally no problem, as we found out when we purchased 25 of these 9mm bullets last week.
Anyone interested in... (GunPolicy.org)
Growing Rate of 'Suicide by Cop' Shootings in Canada
27 February 2013
CBC News (Canada)
On the evening of Jul. 17, 2010, the RCMP in Okotoks, Alta., received a report of a domestic assault, and about six hours after the initial call, with the emergency response team deployed around his house, 39-year-old Corey Lewis stepped out the door.
"He took up a kneeling stance and raised an object to his shoulder and pointed it at the loudspeaker. The object he was holding appeared to have a silver tip and was dark in colour," according to Cliff Purvis, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Guns: Living with Firearms the Swiss Way
11 February 2013
BBC News
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world, but little gun-related street crime - so some opponents of gun control hail it as a place where firearms play a positive role in society. However, Swiss gun culture is unique, and guns are more tightly regulated than many assume.
Throughout the attack, Anne Ithen kept her eyes shut.
"I didn't want to see it. I didn't want those images in my head for the rest of my life… but I remember... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Arrested for Alleged Gun Smuggling Scheme
7 February 2013
Grand Forks Herald
A Canadian man was arrested this week by federal agents at a Grand Forks motel after they say he took $24,000 in cash for six guns he thought would be smuggled into Canada.
Shawn Hartnell, 29, appeared in federal court in Grand Forks on Wednesday.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Chase, Hartnell faces two charges.
One count alleges that, as a Canadian citizen in the United States on a "non-immigrant," visa, Hartnell was illegally possessing firearms.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Officials Say Most Gun Crime Traced to Under 1,000 Illegal Guns
2 February 2013
Washington Post
LONDON — When police on a weapons raid swarmed a housing project after London's 2011 riots, they seized a cache of arms that in the United States might be better suited to "Antiques Roadshow" than inner-city ganglands. Inside plastic bags hidden in a trash collection room, officers uncovered two archaic flintlock pistols, retrofitted flare guns and a Jesse James-style revolver.
These days, that kind of antiquated firepower is about the baddest a British gang member... (GunPolicy.org)
How the AR-15 Became the Most Wanted Gun in America
2 February 2013
New York Times
PASADENA, Maryland - The phone rings again at Pasadena Pawn and Gun, and a familiar question comes down the line: "Got any ARs?"
The answer is no. Pasadena Pawn and Gun, a gun retailer and pawnshop 15 miles south of Baltimore, is pretty much sold out of America's most wanted gun, the AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. Since the massacre in Newtown, Conn., in December, the AR-15, the military-style weapon that the police say was used in the shootings, has been selling... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia,Afghanistan,Israel,Belgium,United States
How Video Games Fund Arms Manufacturers and Sell Guns
31 January 2013
EuroGamer
The American confectionery company Victoria Sweets claims to have invented the candy cigarette. A thin stick of chocolate, wrapped in edible paper and designed to impersonate a roll-up, it debuted in 1915 and soon became the accessory of choice for children keen to play grown-up. Hollywood star, GI Joe, team captain: the sweet gave kids the chance try out one of the vogue props of adulthood.
Within 20 years it was so popular that cigarette companies began to take... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Funds Recruitment Drive for Kids Using Games, Peers
26 January 2013
New York Times, Series
Threatened by long-term declining participation in shooting sports, the firearms industry has poured millions of dollars into a broad campaign to ensure its future by getting guns into the hands of more, and younger, children.
The industry's strategies include giving firearms, ammunition and cash to youth groups; weakening state restrictions on hunting by young children; marketing an affordable military-style rifle for "junior shooters" and sponsoring... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Russia,China,Mexico
Mexico's Gun Problems Go Beyond Drug Wars
11 January 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
MEXICO CITY - A lot of attention goes to the U.S.-made weapons in the hands of criminal groups in this Latin American country. But there is little talk of another problem: the large number of light weapons in the hands of civilians.
The Mexican Constitution establishes the people's right to "own guns in their homes for their safety and self-defence", with the exception of high caliber weapons, while the 1972 Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives stipulates the... (GunPolicy.org)
Scotland,United States,United Kingdom,Australia,Japan
Several Countries Curbed Guns, Saw Public Safety Improve [Espanol]
18 December 2012
BBC News
[Translated summary: Three industrialised nations - Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom have dramatically reduced gun deaths after applying strict firearm laws.]
Tres naciones industrializadas -Japón, Australia y Escocia- han logrado reducir dramáticamente las muertes por armas de fuego tras aplicar estrictas leyes que regulan el porte y comercio de armas que podría servir de modelo en Estados Unidos cuando ese pueblo trata de reponerse de la matanza de niños y... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,Colombia,Mexico,Panama,Guatemala,Swaziland,South Africa,Jamaica,Philippines,Brazil,El Salvador,United States
Top 12 Countries for Firearms Related Deaths
17 December 2012
Forbes (USA)
Few major nations have the right to bear arms configured in their Constitution. Even fewer (as in we are the only one) have gun control legislation as a hot button political issue. The U.S. is the most violent core economy in terms of gun related deaths. It is also the leader in gun violence at school campuses. Yet, the U.S. does not lead the world in firearms related deaths. Countries were gangs and drugs are a problem top the list, even where there is strict gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Better Trauma Care Masks Soaring Number of Shootings in America
8 December 2012
Wall Street Journal
BALTIMORE — The number of U.S. homicides has been falling for two decades, but America has become no less violent.
Crime experts who attribute the drop in killings to better policing or an aging population fail to square the image of a more tranquil nation with this statistic: The reported number of people treated for gunshot attacks from 2001 to 2011 has grown by nearly half.
"Did everybody become a lousy shot all of a sudden? No," said Jim Pasco, executive... (GunPolicy.org)
SE Asian Soldiers Rent Army Machine Guns as Tourist Lure, Cash Cow
27 November 2012
New York Times
PHNOM PENH — Just after a Honda pickup truck screeched to a halt beyond the decommissioned Soviet-era Antonov aircraft, four resolute-looking Chinese men with a military escort climbed out, slammed the doors shut and neatly arranged a series of firearms they had been carrying on a nearby table.
Once the pistols' magazines were loaded with shiny golden bullets, they began emptying round after round into paper targets at a distance of 25 meters, or 82 feet.
Nearby,... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Mozambique Soldiers Arrested for Gun Thefts, Selling to Criminals
14 November 2012
Agência de Informação de Moçambique (Mozambique)
MAPUTO — Three members of the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM) have been arrested for stealing and selling firearms.
According to Orlando Mudumane, spokesperson for the Maputo City Police Command, cited in Wednesday's issue of the daily paper "Noticias", the men, named as 29 year old A.
Francisco, M. Kuamende (42) and I Naveta (29), are stationed at different FADM units in Maputo City and Province. Also arrested was 28 year old F, Joao, who purchased one of the stolen... (GunPolicy.org)
US Airport Officials Report Rise in 'Forgotten' Guns in Carry-On Bags
28 September 2012
New York Times
The list of potentially lethal weapons was certainly eye-opening: 47 guns (38 of them loaded, including six with rounds in their chambers), three inert hand grenades, supplies of black powder, hunting knives, timing fuses and a sword.
Then, consider that the list was compiled by the Transportation Security Administration, of weapons found in airline travelers' carry-on bags in the seven days that ended on Sept. 20.
In fact, the T.S.A. says the number of guns found at... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Police Allege Rise in Drug Trade Linked to Rise in Gun Violence
11 September 2012
Guardian (UK)
Penalties for growing and selling cannabis must be toughened because a surge in the trade is driving up shootings and gang-related violence, a senior police officer has warned.
Assistant Chief Constable Andy Ward of Merseyside police, who chairs the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, says the punishments for those caught cultivating and dealing in cannabis are not a deterrent and the drug is now causing greater problems for police than class As.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
Nine Bystanders Injured After Two US Police Open Fire in Central NYC
24 August 2012
New York Times
As the two officers confronted a gunman in front of the Empire State Building on a busy Friday morning, they had to make a snap decision: Do they open fire in the middle of Midtown?
From a distance of less than 10 feet, the officers, Craig Matthews and Robert Sinishtaj, answered in unison; one shot nine times and the other seven.
Investigators believe at least 7 of those 16 bullets struck the gunman, said Paul J. Browne, the Police Department's chief spokesman. But... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,United Kingdom,Australia
Australian State Considers Gun Law Change, Allow Teens to Hunt Alone
14 August 2012
BBC News
A plan to change the law in Australia could see children as young as 12 hunting by themselves. Is that a sensible step or a dangerous one?
Condemned by some as a bloodthirsty move to impose a violent culture on children, authorities in Australia's most populous state are considering a plan to allow under-18s to hunt feral animals on their own with knives, dogs and bows and arrows.
The hunting lobby in New South Wales says the proposal will encourage more families to... (GunPolicy.org)
UK NRA Boss Calls US NRA Fanatical: LaPierre 'Made Me Physically Ill'
9 August 2012
Telegraph (UK)
On the rainy summer's morning that I arrive at Bisley, a sprawling collection of colonial buildings and rifle ranges set in 3,000 acres of Surrey heathland, news is breaking about a policeman who has been shot dead in Essex. An unfortunate coincidence, this, given that I've come here not to write about gun crime but to meet some typical – that is to say, non-deranged – gun owners.
In a clubhouse which has silver trophies in display cabinets and sepia photographs of... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada,United States,Australia
Australian Academic Says Gun Culture a Risk Factor for Shooting Sprees
25 July 2012
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
The number of victims in the Colorado cinema shooting would undoubtedly have been much higher than 12 killed and 58 wounded had the AR-15 assault rifle used by the alleged offender, James Holmes, not jammed. According to police, the jammed weapon was capable of firing 50-60 rounds a minute. Police say Holmes also had two Glock pistols, a shotgun and 6000 rounds of ammunition.
Shock, dismay and surprise are always expressed after such killings - and questioning of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 280,000 Firearms Destroyed in Venezuela Since 2003 [Espanol]
19 July 2012
Prensa Latina (Havana)
[Translated summary: 287,838 firearms have been destroyed since 2003 by the Venezuelan government. During the same period, an estimated 600,000 weapons have entered the country.]
CARACAS - El gobierno venezolano ha destruido más de 280 mil armas de fuego desde el 2003 hasta la fecha y continúa este proceso en combate contra la inseguridad, afirmó hoy el miembro de la Comisión Presidencial de Desarme Reinaldo Hidalgo.
En los últimos nueve años se han destruido en... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia Police Allege Gang Guns Come from Venezuela Military
18 July 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Colombia police have seized weapons from criminal gang the Rastrojos which include guns reportedly traced to the Venezuelan military, hinting at a connection between the neo-paramilitary group and elements of Venezuela's army.
During the operation, which took place just a few miles from Colombia's border with Venezuela, police seized 55 firearms, including M-16, AK-47, and FAL rifles, among others, said Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon. According to a report by El... (GunPolicy.org)
The Increasing Cost of Black Market Guns in Syria
17 July 2012
New York Times, Blog
ISLAHIYE, Turkey — Abu Hamed, a former Syrian Army captain who is now a guerrilla commander fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, sat cross-legged in a tent in a refugee camp this week, echoing one of the Syrian opposition's most common complaints. "We need weapons," he said. "All kinds of weapons."
And then, as the conversation deepened and tea flowed, he spoke of prices. Mr. Hamed leads a battalion near Aleppo. The demand for weapons on his turf is so... (GunPolicy.org)
Stuff You Couldn't Make Up: Controversial US Killer Killed by Stray Bullet
26 June 2012
Miami Herald
Greyston Garcia was killed in his truck three months after a judge granted him immunity under Florida's controversial self-defense law.
After he beat a murder charge under Florida's controversial self-defense law, Miami's Greyston Garcia took an anonymous job as a cashier in a cramped all-night convenience store in Liberty City.
Tuesday night, he asked to go home early.
Sure, his boss said, but first drive to the gas station to get change for some $20 bills. Garcia... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Police Dismantled an Internet Gun Trafficking Ring [Espanol]
21 June 2012
Lavanguardia (Spain) / EFE
[Translated summary: Spanish Guardia Civil dismantled a group dedicated to trafficking of firearms and other prohibited arms on the Internet.]
MADRID - La Guardia Civil ha desmantelado en las provincias de Guipúzcoa, Lleida y Tarragona un grupo dedicado al tráfico de armas de fuego y otras armas prohibidas a través de internet, en una operación en la que ha detenido a tres personas y se ha incautado de un importante arsenal.
En la operación "Easo", los agentes... (GunPolicy.org)
Congo (DRC),Central African Republic,Niger,Côte d'Ivoire,Mali,Congo (ROC)
Towards the Support of Congo in the Fight against Small Arms [Francais]
25 May 2012
Afriquinfos / Xinhua
[Translated summary: The representative of the Regional Center on Small Arms (RCSA), Marie Claire Bisamaza, reiterated the will of the organisation to support the Republic of Congo in implementing a National Plan of Action aiming at protecting the territory against proliferation of small arms and light weapons.]
BRAZZAVILLE - La représentante du Regional Center on Small Arms (RCSA), Marie Claire Bisamaza, a traduit jeudi à Brazzaville, la volonté de son institution... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala Reported 149 Women Killed with Firearms [Espanol]
23 May 2012
Prensa Libre (Guatemala)
[Translated summary: A total of 227 women were murdered in Guatemala, most of them with firearms (149), in the first quarter of 2012, representing 16.74% less than the same period of 2011, said an official source.]
Un total de 227 mujeres fueron asesinadas en Guatemala, la mayoría de ellas con armas de fuego, en en el primer cuatrimestre de 2012, lo que representa un 16,74 % menos que el mismo periodo de 2011, reveló hoy una fuente oficial.
CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA -... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Provinces Concerned about 'Back-door' Long-gun Registries
23 May 2012
Winnipeg Sun (Manitoba)
Confusion on firearms rules has some Manitoba dealers feeling like they're under the gun to abide by a so-called "back-door" registry.
Though Ottawa and the provincial government insist there's no new long-gun registry replacing a federal firearm database that was scrapped this spring, retailers say RCMP are sending mixed signals.
To firearms vendor Travis VanDaele's Brandon business, it doesn't appear that the federal Conservative government's scrapping of the gun... (GunPolicy.org)
In Turkey, Debating a Woman's Right to Have a Gun in Domestic Violence
19 May 2012
National Public Radio (USA)
In Turkey, hundreds of women die each year at the hands of a husband or family member, in a society that critics say too often ignores violence against women. After years of frustration, one organization has shaken up the debate with a controversial proposal: arming women and training them to defend themselves.
Looking back, Yagmur Askin thinks perhaps she should have paid more attention on her wedding day, when her husband's family welcomed her by saying, "You enter... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Couple Admit to 27,000-round Ammo Cache in Texas
15 May 2012
Reuters
Two illegal immigrants pleaded guilty in Texas on Monday to possessing 27,000 rounds of assault rifle ammunition along the U.S.-Mexico border, where cross-border weapons smuggling has increased in recent years, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Police in Laredo, Texas, discovered the ammunition after they stopped a Dodge Ram pickup truck that failed to stop at a stop sign in March, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson said in a statement.
Weapons traffickers along the... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Authorities to Crack Down on Illegal Arms Trade
27 April 2012
ABC News (Australia)
As New South Wales authorities grapple with the worst bikie war in decades, the Federal Government says it is determined to crack down on the illegal gun trade, and they have handguns in their sights.
While the bikie war rages, there there have been outbreaks of gun violence in other parts of the country as well.
On the eve of the 16th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, the Government has announced plans to amend Australia's gun laws.
National figures are... (GunPolicy.org)
Feds Say 68,000 Guns Seized in Mexico Were Traced Back to US [Espanol]
26 April 2012
El Correo (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Washington says 68,000 guns recovered by Mexican authorities in the past five years have been traced back to the United States. An official report by the The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says that during this period, the Mexican authorities submitted more than 99,000 arms for tracing.]
WASHINGTON - El Gobierno de México ha recuperado más de 99.000 armas de fuego entre 2007 y 2011, de las cuales más de 68.000 procedían de... (GunPolicy.org)
Surge in Gun Violence in Australia as Criminals 'Tool Up'
22 April 2012
Age (Melbourne)
He affects the face of a tough guy, but the gun this twitchy young man keeps for protection looks like a novelty cigarette lighter. The .22 derringer can almost be concealed in his pudgy hand, save for the stumpy barrel that sticks out between his fingers.
The speed that he deals keeps him highly strung. But it's mainly the gun that makes him edgy. "If I get caught with drugs, I wouldn't go to jail. I don't hold enough and I haven't been caught before," he says. "But... (GunPolicy.org)
Easy Access to Guns for Minors in Castellón Province, Spain [Espanol]
20 April 2012
El Periódico Mediterráneo (Spain)
[Translated Summary: More than 400 minors have the permission from the province of Castellón to use arms. The accident involving King Felipe's grandson Juan Froilán, in which he accidentally shot himself in the foot with a hunting rifle, has brought the use of firearms by minors back into the spotlight.]
Más de 400 menores tienen permiso de Castellón para usar armas. El accidente del nieto del rey Felipe Juan Froilán, que se disparó accidentalmente en un pie con... (GunPolicy.org)
Las Vegas Tourist Machine Gun Range Features Gun-toting Hostesses
5 March 2012
New York Times
LAS VEGAS — For Vegas die-hards bored with the $750 tasting menu at Guy Savoy, the $250 Elton John tickets at Caesars or the $200,000 baccarat bet at the Bellagio, this city is serving up a new way to find high-priced thrills.
Machine Guns Vegas — an upscale indoor shooting range complete with skimpily dressed gun-toting hostesses — opened last week a half-mile from the Strip with an armory of weapons and a promise to fulfill the desires of anyone wanting to... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Gun Sales Boom in Expectation of Obama Re-election
4 March 2012
ABC News (USA) / AP
FORT WORTH, Texas - Gun sales are booming across Texas, and some buyers say their growing belief that President Barack Obama will inevitably be re-elected is fueling their race to bear more arms.
And sales haven't just risen in Texas. There's been a rush nationwide, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in Sunday's edition.
The Cheaper than Dirt gun store in Fort Worth set a sales record for February, said store owner DeWayne Irwin, who described the rush as similar... (GunPolicy.org)
Ohio Boy, 'Bullied Outcast' Got Handgun, Killed 3 High School Classmates
29 February 2012
AFP
The death toll from a high school shooting rose to three Tuesday with two more teens succumbing to wounds suffered when a fellow student opened fire in a high school cafeteria.
The alleged shooter, identified as 17-year-old TJ Lane, opened fire Monday with a handgun on a group of fellow students in the cafeteria of Chardon High School shortly after the start of the school day.
The latest victims were Demetrius Hewlin and Russell King who died Tuesday from gunshot... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Former New York City Police Officers Plead Guilty in Gun-smuggling Case
27 February 2012
New York Times
Three former New York City police officers pleaded guilty on Monday to taking part in a scheme to illegally transport firearms across state lines, the authorities said.
"As they admitted today, these police officers moonlighted as criminals, and even planned to use their badges to cover their illegal activity," the United States attorney in Manhattan, Preet Bharara, said in a statement.
Gary Ortiz, 28, who was an active-duty officer in the 71st Precinct in Brooklyn,... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Used in 66% of Homicides in Dominican Republic [Espanol]
27 February 2012
Listin Diario (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: In the last seven years in Dominican Republic, 10,955 people were killed with bullets. Firearms are used in 66% of homicides.]
SANTO DOMINGO - En enero de 2011, desconocidos asesinaron al teniente coronel Virgilio Casilla Minaya, en momentos en que departía junto a su esposa en un colmado del barrio La Fe, de Los Alcarrizos.
Cuatro meses después, fue encontrado muerto un mecánico en la autovía del Este, en San Pedro de Macorís. Al... (GunPolicy.org)
New York, Boston Mayors Lead Influential American Gun Control Group
4 February 2012
Reuters
NEW YORK - Among the slick, million-dollar ads for the likes of Pepsi and Honda during the Super Bowl this Sunday, viewers in Washington will see a far more modest spot. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino will be sitting on a couch touting an issue most politicians avoid like the plague: gun control.
The two mayors, whose local teams face off in the big game, are making the pitch for Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), the organization they... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Up? It's a Beat-up Story: Real US Industry Figures Suppressed
9 January 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
The media has been awash this holiday season with stories about a "dramatic increase" in gun sales in the United States. CNN, for example, declared, "December holiday shoppers were not just interested in buying the hottest electronics and toys--they also were purchasing record numbers of guns." USA Today claimed, "Along with millions of Kindles, Angry Birds and gift cards, Santa left a record number of guns under Americans' Christmas trees." Reuters gushed about "16.5... (GunPolicy.org)
France: 10,464 Suicides Recorded in 2009, 10-20 Million Guns [Francais]
13 December 2011
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: In France, nearly one death out of fifty is a suicide. women (7.6%) tried to commit suicide more than men (3.2%). In 2009, 10,464 deaths by suicide were recorded. "10 to 20 Million firearms are recorded in France. To have a gun at home reduces the reflection period if one plans to end his life.", says a specialist in suicide prevention.]
Les femmes sont plus concernées que les hommes. Les individus les plus susceptibles d'avoir des pensées... (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)
Guatemala,Mexico,United States
Texas Gun Shop Sold 'Infantry Squad' Weapons to Mexican Cartel Smugglers
8 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
It was nothing more than a routine inspection for federal agents. But as they browsed the records of Carter's Country gun shop in Houston, investigators picked up on a series of big sales. For cash.
Federal agents were alerted not only by the number of guns involved – sometimes a dozen at a time – but the type. Time and again buyers walked out of Carter's Country clutching assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols with armour-piercing bullets and powerful sniper... (GunPolicy.org)
In a Year, NYC Police Fire 20% of Bullets Fired in Hours by Kenya Police
4 December 2011
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
Consider this and think of the situation in Kenya as you read on: Last year, 52 officers out of a force of 34,565 officers from the New York Police Department intentionally fired 236 bullets during confrontations with suspects.
The officers reportedly shot and killed only eight people and injured 16 the whole year, in what the Police Department say marked record lows.
Of course the social and economic realities of Nairobi and New York are totally different but there... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Afghanistan,United States
Conspiracists Chatter as Secretive US Company Buys Up Gun, Ammo Makers
26 November 2011
New York Times
SCARBOROUGH, Me. - Lined up in a gun rack beneath mounted deer heads is a Bushmaster Carbon 15, a matte-black semiautomatic rifle that looks as if it belongs to a SWAT team. On another rack rests a Teflon-coated Prairie Panther from DPMS Firearms, a supplier to the United States Border Patrol and security agencies in Iraq. On a third is a Remington 750 Woodsmaster, a popular hunting rifle.
The variety of rifles and shotguns on sale here at Cabela's, the national... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala,United States,Mexico,Central America
Arms Trafficking, Business of Death: Guns in Central America [Espanol]
16 November 2011
Contralinea (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: Contralinea magazine details the routes by which guns are trafficked into Mexico, including the flow of arms from the US directly to Guatemala, and then over Mexico's southern border. English translation at: http://bit.ly/uBnEGu]
En la última década, México pasó del lugar vigesimosegundo al quinto en tráfico de armas en el ámbito mundial. Se calcula que cada día ingresan al país unas 2 mil para abastecer a los cárteles de la droga, la... (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)
Major Campaign of Small Arms Destruction in Argentina [Espanol]
9 November 2011
Missiones Online (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The National Arms Registry (RENAR), under Argentina's Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, held the destruction of 16,354 firearms. Around 17,000 other arms, voluntarily surrendered or from various warehouses, will also be destroyed.]
El próximo sábado se destruirán 9.804 armas que fueron entregadas de manera anónima y voluntaria (Ley 26.261) en las bocas del Renar y en los puestos Móviles Municipales de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, en el... (GunPolicy.org)
Rifles, Shotguns Set to Become Invisible if Canada Scraps Gun Registry
8 November 2011
McGill Tribune (Montreal)
On Oct. 25 Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative government introduced Bill C-19 to the House of Commons. This bill, known as the Ending the Long-gun Registry Act, seeks to abolish the current long-gun registry. If passed, gun owners will no longer be required by law to register rifles and shotguns. Furthermore, Bill C-19 would ensure the destruction of all existing records of these weapons in the Canadian Firearms Registry.
The Conservative government's... (GunPolicy.org)
Demand Growing in Canada for High-Tech Guns Popularised in Games, Movies
26 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Whether it's computers, cars, motorbikes or guns, 28-year-old Greg MacDonald — a self-confessed "tech nerd" — is always looking for the latest and greatest technology.
A Newfoundlander and lover of fine machinery, MacDonald says the rigorous research and development that goes into modern military-grade firearms — known as "black rifles" within shooter circles — is a sort of poetry in motion.
"When I see a firearm, I see engineering, mathematics and physics,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Eight New York Policemen Charged in Gun Smuggling Ring
25 October 2011
Reuters
NEW YORK - Eight New York City policemen were charged on Tuesday with helping run a gun-smuggling ring in a city whose mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is leading a national campaign against illegal guns.
The men were accused of exploiting their experience and credentials to take part in schemes to illegally transport guns, slot machines, cigarettes and counterfeit goods across state lines, a criminal complaint released by the U.S. District Attorney's Office said.
Five of... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms and High Powered Rifles Stolen from Belize Defence Force
13 October 2011
Guardian (Belize)
The Ministry of Defense called a press conference at Price Barracks on Wednesday evening to inform the media that there was a security breach at the Price Barracks compound and a number of small arms and high powered rifles were stolen.
Allen Whylie, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Defense, said it is a devastating breach and the Ministry will leave no stones unturned to get to the bottom of the heist. The discovery was made at about 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday,... (GunPolicy.org)
Only 2 Guns Should be Allowed, Says Former Chief of Philippines Army
11 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon called on Tuesday for stricter gun control law after authorities learned that Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas acquired five high-powered firearms to protect himself from death threats.
Biazon, a former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that an individual should only be allowed one short and one long firearm at the most to defend his life.
"You have only two hands anyway so why the... (GunPolicy.org)
481 Guns Seized by Police in Dominican Republic [Espanol]
24 September 2011
Listin Diario (Dominican Republic)
[Translated summary: An average of two illegal firearms have been seized per day by the Dominican Republic Police. These guns add to the 481 (pistols, shotguns, rifles and revolvers) seized in the first seven months of this year for illegal possession, crime, or expired licences.]
Un promedio de dos armas de fuego han sido decomisadas cada día en lo que va de septiembre de manos de delincuentes por la Policía Nacional y la Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas... (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)
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)
Truck Driver Charged with Smuggling 16 Guns at US-Canada Border
15 August 2011
CJOC News (Alberta)
A 48 year old Canadian man is facing several charges after a large weapons seizure at the Canada/U.S. Border crossing south of Cardston. Kevin Lorne Swanson was arrested when Canada Border Guards found 16 firearms, 10 prohibited magazine clips, and one silencer concealed in crates on a flat-deck trailer at Carway on August 9th. C.B.S.A. Director Kevin Hewson says something just wasn't right about Swanson, as the suspect was nervous, was away from Canada for a long... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Launches Second Phase of Gun Amnesty, Buyback [Espanol]
10 August 2011
Rafaela.com (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The second phase of the National Programme for the Voluntary Surrender of Firearms, launched in 2007, was presented this week in the form of a buyback. According to the Argentinian Minister of Security, the first phase of the amnesty allowed to recover 107,761 firearms and 774,679 ammunition.]
En la primera etapa de este programa, creado en julio de 2007, se recuperaron en todo el país 107.761 armas y 774.679 municiones, de las cuales 10.158... (GunPolicy.org)
Canberra Black Market Fed by Theft of Legal Guns, But Scope is Unknown
8 August 2011
Canberra Times (Australia)
The theft of legal guns is feeding Canberra's black market for firearms as authorities struggle to comprehend the scope of the illegal weapons trade in the territory.
ACT Policing has told The Canberra Times that a black market for guns exists in Canberra, but says its size is unknown.
Estimates put the number of illegal guns in Australia at between 400,000 and 700,000, compared to 2,675,785 licensed firearms.
Experts believe most black market guns have been stolen,... (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)
Licensed Firearm Dealer Faces Gun Smuggling Charge in Philippines
28 July 2011
ABS-CBN News (Manila)
MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed smuggling charges and charges for unauthorized importation of 'weapons of war and parts' before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against a gun store owner who uses balikbayan boxes in allegedly illegally bringing in firearms and ammunition.
Mark Louie Mendoza, a resident of La Loma, Manila, and owner of Last Resort Armaments based in Makati City, was named respondent in the case. The BOC says he is a consignee... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica,Panama,El Salvador,Nicaragua,Colombia,Central America,United States,Mexico,Honduras,Guatemala
Most Guns Seized in Guatemala 'Come From Honduras' [Espanol]
19 July 2011
La Prensa (Honduras), Editorial
[Translated summary: Most guns seized in Guatemala come from Honduras, claims Public Ministry. Assault rifles, hand grenades, semi-automatic weapons, large caliber rifles as unconventional Barrett .50 caliber and AK-47, were part of the weaponry confiscated from the Zetas (dug cartel) operating in Central America.]
Fusiles de asalto, armas automáticas y granadas buscan los criminales mexicanos en países centroamericanos para continuar la guerra que libran con la... (GunPolicy.org)
650,000 Illegal Guns Circulating in Honduras [Espanol]
17 July 2011
El Heraldo (Honduras), Editorial
[Translated summary: Honduras seems to be turning into a battlefield. Some 800,000 weapons are between being registered and not registered; 650,000 are circulating illegaly in the country; 19,640 gun deaths between 2005 and 2010. In its latest study, the National Commission for Human Rights urged the Legislative Power to reform the Firearms Act.]
En Honduras hay unas 800,000 armas entre registradas y no registradas.
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - Honduras entera pareciera... (GunPolicy.org)
Major US Justice Dept Gun Running Bribery Sting Rebounds, Fails in Court
8 July 2011
MainJustice.com
The Justice Department's decision to use an undercover sting to encourage executives in the defense products industry to offer bribes may have backfired this week, as jurors couldn't reach a verdict in a case the Justice Department had called the "turning point" for its fight against foreign bribery.
After more than 16 months of pre-trial hearings, 6 weeks of trial and 7 days of deliberation the case came to unsatisfying and unfinished end Thursday.
U.S. Federal... (GunPolicy.org)
Proliferation of Small Arms in East of Congo DRC - Study [Francais]
5 July 2011
Digital Congo (Congo DRC) / La Prospérité
[Translated summary: More than 300,000 firearms are held by civilians in the East region of Congo DRC. The two most common firearms are assault rifles and non-automatic rifles. These numbers can be found in a new study published by the UNDP/DRC.]
Plus de 300 000 armes à feu sont détenues par des civils dans l'Est de la RDC. Les deux armes les plus fréquemment détenus par les ménages sont le fusil d'assaut et le fusil non automatique.
« Armes légères dans la... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine will Destroy Ammunition and Weapons worth EUR 30 Million
25 June 2011
Interfax.com (Ukraine)
State-run companies that are part of the Ukroboronprom Concern will destroy ammunition and weapons worth EUR 30 million under the Partnership for Peace program.
The ammunition will be scrapped in the execution of an agreement between Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA).
The government's resolution No 533-r ordering the signing of this agreement dated May 16 was posted on the Ukrainian parliament's Web site on... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Super Bowl Champion Joins Biggest US Gun Control Campaign
13 June 2011
Washington Post / AP
NEW YORK — Head down, eyes focused on the ground, Plaxico Burress swayed back and forth like a receiver in the huddle waiting for the next play.
He wasn't on a football field, hasn't been on one for more than two years. Burress was listening to an introduction at the National Urban League before he spoke his piece. When the time came, Burress couldn't have been more positive about rehabilitating his image.
"I'm a champion on the field, and my goal is to be a... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy,European Union,United States,Austria
Strict Gun Laws at Home, But Austrian Exports Fuel Gun Violence Abroad
10 June 2011
Vienna Review (Austria), Opinion
When you think of Austrian exports, what are the first things that pop into your mind? Sausages? Beer? Those little round chocolates with Mozart's portrait on the foil cover? All of these are valid answers.
But if you didn't think of the Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with short recoil, locked breech and a tilting barrel, possessing an effective range of slightly over 50 meters and the possibility of inserting up to a 33 shot clip, you are seriously missing out. It's... (GunPolicy.org)
Bloody Shootout Between Rival Groups on a Campus in Mali [Francais]
6 June 2011
Le Républicain (Mali)
[Translated Summary: On 3 June the campus of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FAST) saw a bloody clash between two rival student groups fighting over the management of University dormitories. Machetes, axes and guns resulted in 'many' injuries].
Usage d'armes à feu et d'armes blanches
8 blessés graves
Le campus universitaire de la Faculté des sciences et techniques (Fast) a été, le 3 juin 2011, le théâtre d'un affrontement sanglant entre deux groupes... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Trafficking Network Dismantled in Algeria: 16 Charged
31 May 2011
Le Temps d'Algérie
Un réseau de trafic d'armes à feu a été démantelé dans la wilaya de Mostaganem par le groupement de la Gendarmerie nationale de la wilaya selon son premier responsable, le commandant Mohamed Ben Hmida. Ce réseau est composé de seize personnes dont trois accusées de soutien au terrorisme.
Trois autres personnes demeurent actuellement en fuite et font l'objet de recherches. La gendarmerie a aussi récupéré 22 armes à feu dont 16 pistolets automatiques (PA) de... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Weapons Lawfully Bought in US End Up in the Hands of Mexican Cartels
28 May 2011
Deseret News (Utah)
WASHINGTON — Convicted gun smuggler John Phillip Hernandez of Houston was likely not the kind of customer that Bushmaster Firearms International had in mind when he purchased 14 of the company's .223 caliber AR-15s at Houston area gun shops in 2006 and 2007.
Bushmaster describes the AR-15 rifle, a civilian version of the U.S. military's standard-issue M-16, as intended "for law enforcement, security and private consumer use." But the weapons that Hernandez and his... (GunPolicy.org)
Influence Game: Gun Manufacturers Battling over US Military Rifle Market
25 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
WASHINGTON - For nearly a decade, Colt Defense went without a lobbyist. The legendary gun maker based in West Hartford, Conn., had an exclusive deal to provide combat rifles to the U.S. military and didn't need a hired gun looking out for the company's interests in Washington.
Times have changed. After buying more than 700,000 Colt M4 carbines, the Defense Department has started a search for the rifle's successor, giving Colt's competitors the long-awaited chance to... (GunPolicy.org)
Rappers Raise Voices Against Violence in Venezuela
17 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
CARACAS, Venezuela - As a teenager, Wilmer Espinoza carried two handguns and belonged to a gang of hired killers. For as little as $700, they would stalk and slay people their clients wanted eliminated.
Today, the 30-year-old carries only a worn Bible in his jacket pocket, and he has traded his band of assassins for another group: Christian rappers who preach for peace in some of Latin America's most violent slums.
Espinoza and his rapper friends grew up in a country... (GunPolicy.org)
As Syrian Violence is Escalating, Guns Black Market Flourishes in Lebanon
14 May 2011
al Jazeera
As the Syrian uprisings escalate in violence, Lebanon's black market in arms is flourishing, with prices of light and medium weapons driven higher by Lebanese and Syrian demand.
"Prices have tripled in less than two months," says Wael, a local arms dealer, whose name has been changed to protect his identity.
According to local dealers, Syrians have been crossing the borders into neighbouring Lebanon to purchase weapons since late January, when the country erupted with... (GunPolicy.org)
Angry Father Turned Gun on 2 of his Daughter's Friends in Florida Shooting
14 May 2011
Times-Union (Florida)
Glen Conley was standing about 50 feet away when a bullet pierced his only child through the chest. Seconds before, he heard the last words of his 18-year-old daughter, Cami.
"Dad — help."
He couldn't.
"By the time I got up there," Conley said, "there was nothing I could do."
He'd been close before, less than two years ago, when the Middleburg father had to save his daughter's life. That day, he could. But now, Conley is making phone calls to relatives and funeral... (GunPolicy.org)
US Open Carry Movement: The Right To Bear Arms Movement Growing
7 May 2011
Russia Today
The number of shootings in the schools and streets of America has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of thousands to assert their Second Amendment rights. The movement to bear arms publicly at all times is significant and growing.
Some even see their semi-automatics as a last line of defense against the government.
Craig Rutherford, member of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, spent years carrying a gun in the Balkans and in Iraq as a defense contractor. So when... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Dealer Boasts He can't Keep Up with Demand in Lebanon
22 April 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The Beiruti arms dealer Abu Jihad is more than an hour late to our pre-arranged meeting.
"I'm very sorry for the delay," says the balding father of four when he finally appears. "On the way here I made an unexpected sale. Two M16s."
Wearing green camouflage pants and a black parka, Abu Jihad sits down and reaches for the Smith & Wesson revolver strapped to his ankle. "I normally carry three weapons," he says, emptying the revolver of its bullets and spinning the... (GunPolicy.org)
Trainee Gets First Gun, Shoots, Kills Girlfriend, Then Himself in Scotland
15 April 2011
Daily Record (Scotland)
The trainee gamekeeper who accidentally shot his girlfriend then killed himself had just been given his first hunting gun.
It is believed Calum Murray, 18, had been cleaning the weapon when it went off, killing 16-year-old Sophie Taylor.
Griefstricken Calum then shot himself in a cottage near the Highland village of Tomintoul on Tuesday.
Last night, his devastated pal Allan Donald revealed: "He was kind, generous - a typical lad. He wouldn't have hurt a fly.
"His... (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)
Virginia Tech Survivor Colin Goddard Now Lobbies Full-time for Gun Control
13 April 2011
USA Today
NEW YORK — It's a spring evening in Midtown Manhattan and Colin Goddard is working a reception on the top floor of the HBO building.
Waiters carry trays of hors d'oeuvres through the crowd while Goddard, a 25-year-old who could model for a J.Crew catalog, chats amiably. He doesn't have to move much because people flutter around him. The lights flicker, and the crowd moves to a screening room to watch Gun Fight, a documentary on the nation's firearms debate. The film... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Group Airs TV Ad, Challenges Obama on Big Ammo Clips
12 April 2011
CBS News (USA)
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence released an ad today calling on President Obama to come out more forcefully in support of a ban on the sort of high-capacity ammunition clips used by alleged shooter Jared Loughner in the January Tucson massacre.
The 30-second spot, at left, features a narrator saying that "a magazine that allows a gun to fire 32 shots in 16 seconds is only good for one thing: killing a lot of people - fast."
A man is then shown shooting at a... (GunPolicy.org)
Ex-Ohio Police Chief Imprisoned for Selling Police Guns, Pocketing Cash
10 April 2011
North Country Gazette (New York)
SANDUSKY, OHIO — The former chief of police for Perkins Township, Ohio will spend the next year in federal prison, guilty of selling the town's guns received under a federal grant and keeping the money.
Timothy McClung, 47, of Sandusky, Ohio, had last year to all three counts of an indictment, which charged him with one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and two counts of mail fraud.
McClung was also ordered to serve three years supervised... (GunPolicy.org)
School Massacre Spotlights Gun Violence, Rising Firearm Sales in Brazil
8 April 2011
Christian Science Monitor
Brazil is no stranger to urban mayhem, with street shootouts splashing the front pages of newspapers each day in the nation that tops the world in deaths by firearms.
But Thursday's massacre of 12 children at school in western Rio de Janeiro has touched a nerve in this hardened nation. As families hold burial services today, Brazil is asking how such violence more associated with the United States became a reality here.
As happened following the 2007 Virginia Tech... (GunPolicy.org)
Common-sense Steps Needed to Reduce Gun Violence in Indiana
2 April 2011
Indianapolis Star (Indiana), Opinion
Fellow Hoosiers sometimes ask me why a three-term Republican mayor from Fort Wayne would want to run the national Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
The answer is simple: I learned as mayor that we make it way too easy for dangerous and irresponsible people to get guns. When violent crimes were on the rise in my city, I increased the number of police significantly, worked with neighborhood and faith-based groups, and implemented collaborative programs to help... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,United States,United Arab Emirates,Jordan
Former UK Gun Lobby Leader Nears Plea on US-Middle East Gun Running
27 March 2011
Tennessean (Nashville)
Illegally trafficked assault rifles and gun parts manufactured in Nashville ultimately found their way to Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, according to federal court documents unsealed Wednesday.
The documents — sworn statements written by federal agents in support of search warrants for facilities owned by Sabre Defence Industries — reveal many new details about an alleged conspiracy to skirt U.S. regulators and law enforcement... (GunPolicy.org)
2,405 More Americans Have Been Shot Dead Since Tucson Mass Shooting
13 March 2011
Newsweek (USA)
On a snowy Wednesday evening in February, the main attraction on the marquee at the Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg, Va., was True Grit, the Coen Brothers' bloody homage to the shoot-'em-up Westerns of Hollywood's Golden Age. But the movie playing inside had a very different message to send.
Four years ago, on April 16, 2007, Colin Goddard was one of 49 people shot by Seung-Hui Cho in Virginia Tech's Norris Hall, a mere 1,000 yards from the Lyric Theatre — and one of... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Proposed New US Gun Laws Would Further Weaken Gun Control
8 March 2011
BBC News
Two months have passed since six people were killed and a dozen injured in a gun attack in Tucson, Arizona, directed at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The BBC's Paul Adams looks at where the debate over gun control now stands in the state.
Outside Safeway, at the junction of Oracle and Ima, in northern Tucson, almost all traces of the tragedy have gone.
Across the busy highway, a simple line of white crosses, each bearing the name of a victim, stands out against a... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Moves Closer to Allowing Hidden Handguns on College Campuses
28 February 2011
New American (USA)
In one of the most controversial, but many say common-sense, moves related to campus violence and Second Amendment rights, the state of Texas is considering legislation that would allow students, professors, teachers, and other personnel to carry firearms on the campuses of elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as those of colleges and universities — without any violations or punishments.
HB 1167, introduced in the Texas House of Representatives on February... (GunPolicy.org)
Students in Texas May Be Free to Bring Guns to Class Under New Laws
21 February 2011
Daily Mail (UK)
Students in Texas could soon be allowed to bring their guns into class under new legislation the notoriously gun-friendly state is poised to adopt.
More than half the state's senators have signed the bill, which is widely expected to be passed.
If the law goes through, it will add weight to a growing national campaign for students to carry firearms as a defence against college shootings like the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.
The move comes little more than a month... (GunPolicy.org)
