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Mass Shootings Not Tightening US Gun Control Laws Anymore - Expert
22 April 2012
Agence France Presse
CHICAGO — The statistics are staggering, the stories heartbreaking, yet there is little chance that any amount of bloodshed will lead to stiffer gun controls in the United States in the foreseeable future.
"It's not something that any politician thinks is winnable," said Kristin Goss, a politics professor at Duke University and author of "Disarmed: The Missing Movement for Gun Control in America."
Five years after the worst school shooting in US history left 32... (GunPolicy.org)
100,000 Imported Handguns a 'Major Public Concern' for Australia
18 April 2012
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
April is an eerie time of year. Sixteen years ago this month, Martin Bryant opened fire at historic Port Arthur in Tasmania, killing 35 people and wounding 18 others. This month also marks the anniversaries of the Columbine massacre of April 20, 1999 in the US, where 13 people were killed and at least 21 injured, the Virginia Tech massacre of April 16, 2007, where 32 people died and 25 were injured, and now Oakland's Oikos University massacre, which happened two weeks... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Gunfest Focuses US Fight Over 'Shoot First' Hidden Handgun Laws
14 April 2012
CBS News (USA)
ST. LOUIS - Avid hunter Rob West drove from Chillicothe, Ohio, to St. Louis this week to join some 70,000 fellow National Rifle Association members at the organization's annual convention, where seven acres of guns and gear were on display and where politics was never far from anyone's mind.
For the NRA, which opposes any restrictions on gun ownership and President Barack Obama's re-election, the Second Amendment right to bear arms is sacrosanct.
"We don't want... (GunPolicy.org)
Is Gun Control Dead in America? Adam Winkler in the Washington Post
13 April 2012
Washington Post, Opinion
Monday marks five years since the massacre at Virginia Tech, where a mentally ill student, Seung Hui Cho, used two handguns he had bought legally to kill 32 people and wound 25 others. Other than a relatively minor law to improve the national database used for background checks, no significant gun-control legislation followed that tragedy.
Since then, there have been several mass shootings, including additional school rampages and the attempted assassination last year... (GunPolicy.org)
What a Nerve: Mexican President Suggests a US Role in Gun Running
10 April 2012
The Hill (Washington DC)
The nerve of President Calderon of Mexico. How dare he come to the United States and utter two words Americans are no longer allowed to speak? I heard them myself in the Rose Garden last week: gun control.
Calderon's comments came in response to a reporter's question about the ongoing drug wars in Mexico, in which 11,000 people were killed in 2010 alone. What are you doing about the guns?
He began by noting that the level of gun violence in Mexico began to escalate in... (GunPolicy.org)
Federally Funded Research on US Gun Violence Banned for 10 Years
5 April 2012
Sacramento Bee (California) / McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Opinion
Yet another senseless killing spree shocked America this week, as word spread of Monday's tragedy at Oikos University in Oakland, Calif.
The pattern is all too familiar: A shooter possessed by pent-up anger or resentment apparently sets out to kill - not necessarily the people who caused his misery, but anyone connected to a place or institution with which it was associated. All of these deaths are tragic, but there is something especially poignant when the setting is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sacramento Bee (California) / McClatchy-Tribune News Service
US: We Need To Talk About Guns - Blog by Andrew Rosenthal
5 April 2012
New York Times, Blog
How many students have to be shot to death in their schools before this country has a serious discussion about guns? Are the 10 who have been gunned down just since Feb. 27 enough?
The question of the constitutional right to own guns is irrelevant here—even if you believe that the Constitution gives every last American the right to own a firearm (which The Times editorial board does not, but many other reasonable people do).
There is simply no defending the many... (GunPolicy.org)
Fearing the Public, US Politicians Carry Hidden Handguns in State Capitols
4 April 2012
Agence France Presse
CHICAGO — When Wisconsin lawmakers gather to discuss the business of the day at least one of them is legally packing a concealed weapon, amid the ever-present and heated gun law debate in the United States.
Wisconsin is one of just nine US states -- out of 50 -- which have expanded conceal-carry laws to allow gun owners to enter state capitols with their weapons, including on the assembly floor.
After the law was passed in November, state representative Bill Kramer... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Votes to Kill Long Gun Registry, Delete Data on Gun Owners
4 April 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
OTTAWA — The Conservative government vowed during the 2011 election to eliminate the long-gun registry. On Wednesday night, the bill to officially end the registry had its final vote in the Senate — leaving only a signature from the Governor General needed to officially kill the registry.
That signature signing Bill C-19 into law should come Thursday morning.
By a vote of 50-27, senators approved the bill, marking the last political hurdle needed to kill the... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Seeks Injunction to Stop Canada Deleting Gun Registry Records
4 April 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
After months of threatening legal action against the federal government to preserve records on the 1,560,359 long guns registered in Quebec, Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier announced Tuesday that he will challenge in Quebec Superior Court the constitutionality of Bill C-19, empowering Ottawa to destroy the records.
Quebec has asked repeatedly that records on Quebec residents be transferred so the province can create its own registry. As well, the National Assembly... (GunPolicy.org)
US University Mass Killer Bought His Gun Easily, Legally - Police
3 April 2012
Mercury (San Jose)
OAKLAND -- An extensive search probed the depths of a local waterway Tuesday as authorities worked to find the gun used in a shooting spree that killed seven and wounded three at a private college in East Oakland.
Oakland police cordoned off a stretch of the Oakland Estuary in the 7200 block of Doolittle Drive for most of the day as they deployed a police boat and a robot borrowed from San Francisco police that can conduct underwater searches. A police helicopter... (GunPolicy.org)
In 23 Rich Nations, 80% of Gun Death, 87% of Kids Shot Are American
28 March 2012
New Jersey Today
In a report released this month, the Children's Defense Fund has analyzed recent national data on gunfire deaths and produced some alarming figures on child casualties.
The report also criticizes a wave of new state gun-rights laws that the Washington D.C.-based advocacy group argues put children in ever more peril.
The nonprofit advocacy group dedicated its report, "Protect Kids, Not Guns 2012,"to Florida teen Trayvon Martin, who was shot dead in February by a... (GunPolicy.org)
Nearly Twice as Many US Preschoolers Die by Gunshot Than Police
28 March 2012
New Jersey Today
In a report released this month, the Children's Defense Fund has analyzed recent national data on gunfire deaths and produced some alarming figures on child casualties.
The report also criticizes a wave of new state gun-rights laws that the Washington D.C.-based advocacy group argues put children in ever more peril.
The nonprofit advocacy group dedicated its report, "Protect Kids, Not Guns 2012,"to Florida teen Trayvon Martin, who was shot dead in February by a... (GunPolicy.org)
French Public Amazed at Toulouse Mass Killer's Arsenal of Illegal Guns
23 March 2012
Reuters
PARIS - As France asks itself whether it could have done more to prevent Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah shooting dead seven people in a killing spree that shook the nation, there is one question that refuses to go away: how did he obtain so many guns.
The size and nature of the arsenal amassed by Merah - who stockpiled at least eight guns including a Kalashnikov assault rifle and an Uzi machine pistol - has focused attention on the easy availability of illegal weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Used by South Sudanese Ethnic Militia Came from Army and Rebels
23 March 2012
Pretoria News (South Africa) / AFP
Guns and ammunition used by a South Sudanese ethnic militia that massacred a rival group earlier this year came from both the army and a rebel group, a report said on Thursday.
Beginning late December a marauding column of some 8 000 armed youths from the Lou Nuer people marched on the remote town of Pibor, home to the rival Murle, whom they blame for cattle raiding and have vowed to exterminate.
Analysis by the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research group,... (GunPolicy.org)
French Motorcycle Gunman Used Same Pistol in School, Army Shootings
20 March 2012
Washington Post / AP
TOULOUSE, France — Hundreds of police blanketed southern France on Tuesday, searching for a gunman — possibly a racist, anti-Semitic serial killer — who killed four people at a Jewish school and may have filmed his attack.
Authorities suspect the same killer was behind attacks last week on French paratroopers of North African and French Caribbean origin.
France was reeling Tuesday after Monday's shooting in the southern city of Toulouse, the deadliest school... (GunPolicy.org)
France 'Awash' with Illegal Firearms Imported Across Porous EU Borders
20 March 2012
Press Association (UK)
France is awash with illegal firearms transported into the country across porous European borders, it was claimed.
While gun laws are strict, it is not difficult for unauthorised members of the public to get their hands on weapons, according to the president of the Union Francaise des Amateurs d'Armes, a French gun society.
Jean-Jacques Buigne suggested the killer responsible for the attacks outside a school in Toulouse most likely did not have a licence for the heavy... (GunPolicy.org)
Toulouse Mass Shootings: What Is an 11.43mm (.45cal) Pistol? [Francais]
19 March 2012
Le Point (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: The handgun used in the Toulouse school shooting and in the shooting of military officers was an 11.43mm (.45cal) pistol, known to be a weapon for settling scores.]
Le pistolet utilisé pour la fusillade de Toulouse et les meurtres de militaires est connu comme étant l'arme des règlements de comptes.
Le pistolet de calibre 11,43 mm, utilisé pour tuer trois parachutistes à Toulouse et Montauban et employé dans la fusillade lundi devant une... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Children, Teacher Killed in Jewish School Shooting - Third in France
19 March 2012
Local (France) / AFP
A gunman burst into a Jewish school in France on Monday, shooting dead three children and a teacher in the third deadly gun attack in a week by a man who made his escape on a motorbike.
The children, aged three, six and 10, and a 30-year-old religious education teacher were mowed down as they arrived for class at the Ozar Hatorah school in the southwestern city of Toulouse, officials said.
Israel said it was "horrified" by the attack and a European rabbis' group... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Riding a Scooter Shot Dead 2 French Soldiers in South of France
16 March 2012
Local (France) / AFP
A gunman riding a scooter shot dead two French soldiers and seriously wounded another in a hail of bullets on a street in the southwestern city of Montauban on Thursday, officials said.
The motive was not immediately clear but officials said they believed the shooter had acted alone and described the attack as a "criminal act".
It followed a similar shooting on Sunday in the nearby city of Toulouse when an off-duty soldier was shot dead by an assailant on a... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Shooting Survivor Slams 'Outrageous' Lack of US Gun Sale Checks
15 March 2012
CNN
A man who survived the April 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech says not enough is being done to keep guns out of the hands of people like the shooter even as a jury found the university failed to warn students earlier that a gunman was on campus.
"As someone who lost a teacher and many friends as a result of the Virginia Tech massacre, I am gratified by the verdict," said Colin Goddard, who was shot four times during the rampage by Seung-Hui Cho.
A jury Wednesday awarded... (GunPolicy.org)
Curb Number of Guns Owned, Slow Gun Theft - West Australia Police Boss
12 March 2012
West Australian (Perth)
In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre in April 1996 the Federal government and all Australasian police ministers signed up to the National Firearms Agreement.
The intent of the agreement was to tighten gun control through the restriction of certain categories of firearms, through better screening of applicants and through a more rigorous assessment of genuine need.
The agreement included an amnesty and buyback scheme for firearms with the focus on reducing the... (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)
Europe,Israel,Russia,United States
Why Does America Lead the World in School Shootings? - Opinion
28 February 2012
CNN, Opinion
Editor's Note: Dr. Frank Ochberg is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Michigan State University and former Associate Director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
School shootings are far more frequent in America than in other countries, although terrible massacres have occurred in Russia, Israel, and several European nations. In the high-crime neighborhoods of inner cities, school turf is relatively safe. We have learned to harden the target and patrol with... (GunPolicy.org)
Conservatives, Enthusiasts Cheer End of Canada's Long-gun Registry
15 February 2012
National Post (Toronto)
OTTAWA — The Conservative government says its MPs will celebrate after a historic vote to end the long-gun registry Wednesday evening, despite vehement opposition to the move in Quebec and much of urban Canada.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews told reporters Wednesday, hours before the vote, that the government's actions are long overdue.
"It does nothing to help put an end to gun crimes, nor has it saved one Canadian life," he said.
"It criminalizes hard-working... (GunPolicy.org)
Uganda,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Turkey,Scotland,United Kingdom,Oceania
Dunblane Father Urges End to Global Gun Trade Killing 1500 a Day
12 February 2012
Daily Record (Scotland)
A global campaign to control the trade in deadly weapons will be stepped up at Glasgow University tomorrow when anti-gun campaigner Dr Mick North - whose daughter Sophie was killed in Dunblane tragedy in 1996 - leads a new push by Oxfam and Amnesty towards a United Nations arms treaty.
Here, he explains why the issue means the difference between life and death.
_________
Next month marks the 16th anniversary of my daughter's death.
Sophie was just five when a gunman... (GunPolicy.org)
Racing to Lowest Standard, US States Slacken Controls on Hidden Handguns
20 December 2011
USA Today
JACKSON, Miss. – A Mississippi resident who receives a concealed carry permit and takes an eight-hour course can now carry a gun on college campuses, in bars and in courthouses.
As of this summer, Wyoming residents need no permits for concealed weapons. And in Indiana, private businesses must allow employees to keep firearms in their vehicles on company property.
Those and other recent changes on the state level represent a growing shift toward loosening state gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgian Killer Amassed Illegal Guns, Used Light Automatic Army Rifle
15 December 2011
CNN
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- A man who killed five people and himself in a gun and grenade attack in Belgium feared going back to prison and losing the life he had built, his lawyer said Thursday.
The attack on a crowded market square in Liege Tuesday by Nourdine Amrani, which also left at least 130 people wounded, shocked the nation.
His defense lawyer in Liege, Jean-Francois Dister, told CNN Amrani had called him late Monday and early Tuesday after the police called him in... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Sales Run Rampant on US Internet, Arm 'Craigslist Killers'
14 December 2011
Huffington Post (USA)
A New York City undercover investigation heralded as the first of its kind has found a "vast and largely unregulated market for illegal guns" on the Internet, and the worst offender is a website that has gotten mixed up with the law before: Craigslist.
In the report released Wednesday, entitled, "Point, Click, Fire: An Investigation of Illegal Online Gun Sales," investigators found that sellers on Craigslist agreed 82 percent of the time to sell guns to a purchaser who... (GunPolicy.org)
FIFA Mulls Brazilian Plans for Gun Scrapping Drive at Soccer World Cup
14 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
RIO DE JANEIRO - Football's governing body, Fifa, is studying plans to hand out free or cut-price World Cup tickets to football fans who surrender guns to the Brazilian government.
Brazil's justice ministry submitted the plans for the 2014 event last month as part of a new disarmament drive in the South American country.
According to reports in the Brazilian media, the government's suggestions also include swapping official footballs and shirts signed by World Cup... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Finland,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,Norway,Europe
Gun Attacks in Europe and Their Effect on Gun Control Laws
14 December 2011
BBC News
As more details emerge of the shooting spree and grenade attack in Belgium in which five people died, the BBC News website takes a look at other recent incidents in Europe - and the effect they have had on each country's laws.
Norway
Seventy-seven people were killed in twin attacks on 22 July 2011 in Norway. Anders Behring Breivik has admitted that he planted a car bomb that exploded close to government offices in the capital Oslo, killing eight people. He then drove... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgium Mass Shooting: 'Convicted Gun Fanatic' Kills 6, Wounds Dozens
14 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
A convicted gun fanatic threw hand grenades and opened fire on a square bustling with Christmas shoppers in the centre of the Belgian city of Liège, killing at least six people, including himself, and wounding at least 122, some critically.
Hours after failing to show up for police questions about his preoccupation with guns, the 33-year-old unleashed a lunchtime attack on Place Saint Lambert, which was hosting a Christmas market that attracts 1.5 million visitors a... (GunPolicy.org)
US Handgun Production, Imports Double in 4 Years: Women Lead Trend?
11 December 2011
Sydney Morning Herald, Bloomberg (USA)
NEW YORK -- Robin Natanel picks up a compact black pistol, barrel pointed down range. Gripping the gun with both hands, left foot forward, she raises the semi-automatic and methodically squeezes off five shots. The first one creases the left edge of a red bull's-eye on a target 7.5 metres away. The four others paint a 7.5-centimetre pattern around the first. If the target were a person's head or heart, he would probably be dead.
Natanel is a Buddhist, a self-avowed... (GunPolicy.org)
Soaring Gun Ownership 'Getting Out of Control' in Australia's Largest State
11 December 2011
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Soaring gun ownership in NSW is expected to soon exceed levels prior to the federal government's 1996 buy-back program.
Figures obtained by The Sunday Telegraph show there are 188,885 people on the NSW Police Firearms Register, just short of the estimated 200,000 licence holders pre- the Port Arthur massacre, which triggered changes to gun laws.
NSW Greens described the increase as "alarming" and gun control groups warned that more and more firearms would end up on... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Gun Dealer Offers Machine Guns, Anti-aircraft Gun for Sale
9 December 2011
New Zealand Herald / APNZ
A Christchurch arms dealer is trading high-calibre weapons more associated with freedom fighters in Libya than librarians in Linwood.
David Tipple of Gun City is selling for a bargain price of $1499 anti-aircraft cannons designed to shoot jet-fighters out of the sky.
Also available are German machineguns from the Battle of Stalingrad, MP5 9mm sub-machineguns starting from $14,999, as well as "very rare" 9mm UZI machineguns - down from $12,000 - Russian AK47s, .303... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Officer, Gun Owner Dead in New Virginia Tech University Shooting
8 December 2011
Reuters
BLACKSBURG, Virginia - A gunman ambushed and killed a campus police officer and was later reported to have been found dead on Thursday at Virginia Tech University, the site of one of the worst shooting rampages in U.S. history.
Authorities declared the campus safe and lifted a lock-down after a nearly four-hour manhunt, seeming to lend credence to television news reports that a body found in a Virginia Tech parking lot was that of the shooter.
Police at a televised... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian MPs Mark Country's Worst Gun Massacre, But Tories Not Welcome
6 December 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
As women across Canada mark the 22nd anniversary of the massacre at Montreal's École Polytechnique on Tuesday, Conservative women on Parliament Hill continue to work to scrap the long-gun registry that was created in response to those shootings.
That has people on the Hill so upset that government MPs have been purposely shut out from officially speaking at and attending an event on Parliament Hill to honour the 14 young women who were shot dead in 1989.
The two... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Gun Laws, Scrapping of Long Gun Registry Explained, Debated
6 December 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The contentious long-gun registry is on the cusp of being abolished, meaning rifles and shotguns like those sold at Stephen Milton's King City, Ont., shop will disappear from government records.
But while police say that would make it harder for them to do their jobs, Milton says it would be a good move.
"We don't have a gun problem. We have a criminal problem, we have a gang problem, we have problems with people who have no regard for the law whatsoever," he said.... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Nuts Need Fear, Conspiracies, Obama to Hate, Flourish, Raise Money
1 December 2011
New York Times, Opinion
PHOENIX — When it became clear in the early fall of 2008 that Barack Obama, son of a Kansan and a Kenyan, would be the 44th President of the United States, many citizens rushed to their gun shops, stocked up on ammo and camo, and tried to fortify their nests with all manner of lethal weapons.
Though he had said nothing about gun control in the campaign, Obama, to a certain kind of person, appeared to be a grave threat to the Second Amendment. He was urban —... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Father Shoots His Estranged Wife, Kills Her 4 Children, Himself
1 December 2011
Associated Press
BAY CITY, Texas -- Laura Gonzalez was happy to be back at work after three weeks away that included a stay at a battered women's shelter. She saw it as the beginning of a new life. One without her husband and the father of her four children, she told co-workers. She wasn't going back to him this time, she said, and left for home.
Less than an hour later, her 24-year-old husband, Jose Avila, launched a brutal final assault. First he shot his wife three times. Then, he... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Possession, Licensing Control Study in Netherlands Never Published
1 December 2011
Radio Netherlands
A study into gun ownership in the Netherlands showing inadequate supervision of gun permits was submitted to the justice ministry in August 2010, almost nine months before the Alphen aan den Rijn mall shooting in which seven people were killed.
The study showed that gun permits were being routinely issued and pointed to inadequate police supervision of gun owners. Police officers reportedly lack the expertise to properly evaluate gun permit applications and most police... (GunPolicy.org)
Millions of Drug Abusers, Mentally Ill Avoid US Gun Check System - Report
14 November 2011
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
WASHINGTON -- Millions of reports on people barred by federal law from purchasing guns because of serious mental illness and drug abuse are never added to the federal background check system, according to a study set to be released Tuesday.
The report, by Mayors Against Illegal Guns and entitled "Fatal Gaps: How Missing Records In The Federal Background Check System Put Guns In The Hands Of Killers," was sparked by last January's assassination attempt on Rep. Gabby... (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)
New Canadian Law Would Allow Even Gun Dealer Sales to Escape Registration
5 November 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
As tensions mount between Quebec and Ottawa over the federal government's proposed law to abolish the longgun registry, a wide-ranging group of activists and politicians gathered at Dawson College on Friday to urge the province to take legal action to save the registry and its vast database.
Heidi Rathjen of Poly sesouvient.ca, a group that has tracked gun laws since the massacre at the École Polytechnique that killed 14 women on Dec. 6, 1989, said Quebec should do... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to Kill Canada Long-Gun Registry Delists Sniper Rifles, Semi-Automatics
1 November 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The powerful Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle used in the 1989 Montreal massacre and this summer's Norway bloodbath.
Sniper rifles that can pierce light armour from a distance of up to 1.5 kilometres.
Or one that can drop a target two kilometres away.
They are all weapons that will soon be declassified under the Conservatives' bill to kill the long-gun registry and freed from binding controls that now see them listed with the RCMP-run database.
They... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Group Asks Maverick Federal MP to Explain Pro-Gun Stance
27 October 2011
Australian (Sydney)
Anti-gun campaigners have called on maverick Federal MP Bob Katter to explain his Australia Party's policy towards firearm laws.
The party denies being solely focussed on giving gun owners and dealers better rights, but The Australian has today revealed the gun links of key officials and backers, including Mr Katter's son-in-law, Rob Nioa, president of the Australian Gun Dealers Association.
Gun Control Australia president John Crook today said it was a "disgusting... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Government Presses Ahead with Plan to Ease Gun Laws
25 October 2011
Reuters
OTTAWA - The government pressed ahead on Tuesday with plans to scrap a registry of shotguns and rifles, brushing off police complaints the move will make their life tougher.
The Conservatives - who enjoy considerable support in rural areas - have long argued that the long-gun registry is wasteful, does nothing to cut crime and unfairly targets law-abiding farmers and hunters.
"Our government will continue to uphold our commitment to effective gun control measures that... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada's Conservative Government to Ease Gun Laws
25 October 2011
Associated Press
TORONTO — Canada's Conservative government introduced legislation Tuesday to scrap a controversial law that requires the registration of rifles and shotguns.
Canada has long required registration of hand guns, but the long-run registry law passed in 1995 faced bitter opposition from rural Canada, the Conservative party's base, which considered it an overreaction to the problem of urban crime.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said they don't want laws targeting... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to End Canada Long-Gun Registry Will Destroy Data Already Collected
25 October 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper has acted to kill any attempt by a provincial or future federal government to recreate the doomed long-gun registry.
In a surprise move aimed at putting a bullet in the registry for good, the Conservative government bill tabled Wednesday orders the commissioner of firearms to destroy "as soon as feasible" records related to 7.1 million long-barreled guns collected over the past 15 years.
If passed, Bill C-19 would, as promised,... (GunPolicy.org)
Suspect Identified in California Hair Salon Shooting
13 October 2011
Reuters
SEAL BEACH, California - Mourners laid flowers at a hair salon in Seal Beach on Thursday, a day after a gunman, identified as the ex-husband of a stylist there, killed eight people in a shooting rampage.
Police named the suspect as 42-year-old Scott Evans Dekraai of nearby Huntington Beach, who was expected to face multiple counts of murder in a mass killing that has been called the worst in Orange County history.
Dekraai's former wife, Michelle Fournier, was a... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Kills 2 Men, 6 Women in Southern California Salon Shooting
13 October 2011
Associated Press
SEAL BEACH, Calif. — Every hair-dressing station was full at Salon Meritage when a gunman burst through the door and began shooting, sending terrified customers diving for cover in the upscale salon tucked just blocks from the beach in this quaint seaside town. The shooter then stepped outside, shot a man sitting in a truck in the parking lot and sped off.
By the time it was all over Wednesday, eight people were dead and another in critical condition in one of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan,United States,Philippines
Philippines Needs Stricter Gun Control Laws - Opinion
11 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Opinion
Joke only: A Llama is a handgun.
But a Llamas is an AK-47.
* * *
Because of the AK-47 found in the vehicle of Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas when it figured in an accident on Edsa (Llamas was away in Switzerland), the talk at the Kapihan sa Manila at the Diamond Hotel last Monday centered on guns in the hands of civilians.
And the guests were all well qualified to talk about guns: brand-new PNP chief, Director General Nicanor Bartolome,... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Founding Fathers, Towns Once Imposed Strict Gun Control
9 October 2011
New York Times, Book review
In "Gunfight," his provocative, highly uneven new book about the fight over gun control, the constitutional law professor Adam Winkler writes that "gun rights and gun control are not only compatible; they have lived together since the birth of America." He argues that "despite the controversy over the meaning of the Second Amendment, Americans have always had the right to keep and bear arms as a matter of state constitutional law. Today, nearly every state has such a... (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)
People Given Suspended Sentence in UK May Be Refused Gun Licence
4 October 2011
News and Star (UK)
People given suspended prison sentences might be refused a firearms licence following a report in the wake of the Derrick Bird shootings, the Home Office has said.
Bird, 52, shot dead 12 people and seriously injured 11 others after going on a rampage in west Cumbria on June 2, 2010. He then turned the gun on himself.
Last December, the Home Affairs Select Committee made a series of recommendations, saying current gun law was "a mess".
Responding, the Home Office said... (GunPolicy.org)
US Lawmakers Push to Allow Carrying Guns on College Campuses
30 September 2011
USA Today
State lawmakers across the USA are pushing a growing number of bills this year that would legalize carrying guns on college campuses, according to groups tracking the trend.
This year, at least 14 states have introduced 35 bills that would allow students and faculty to carry concealed weapons on state colleges and universities or loosen restrictions on gun bans on campuses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Meanwhile, two states, Maryland and... (GunPolicy.org)
428 Police Guns Lost or Stolen in Canada, Says Pro-gun Group
30 September 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
A group opposing Canada's firearms registry says it has discovered that 428 guns have gone missing from police forces or other public agencies.
And Canada's National Firearms Association, which obtained the figure through an access-to-information request, said it suggests police are part of the problem of guns falling into the hands of gangsters and other criminals.
"It seems to me there is a little bit of a double standard here," NFA president Sheldon Clare of Prince... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Law that Limited Doctors' Ability to Ask about Guns Is Blocked
19 September 2011
Time (USA)
A federal court has blocked a new Florida law that limited the ability of doctors to ask patients if they had guns in the home. Judge Monica Cooke, a Republican appointee, rightly said that the law interfered with both doctors' right to free speech and patients' right to receive information.
The ruling, which came down last week, struck an important blow for freedom of expression. But it did something more: it dealt a rare setback to a gun-rights lobby that is... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
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)
After Norway Attacks, Estonia Considers Reviewing Its Firearm Laws
18 August 2011
ERR Estonian Public Broadcasting (Tallinn)
In the wake of the attack by lone gunman at the Defense Ministry and the tragedy in Norway, Estonia is considering reviewing the country's firearms laws, which are fairly restrictive but do currently allow those with gun permits to purchase semiautomatic versions of deadly assault rifles.
As of the end of July, there were about 58,000 guns in Estonia in civil commerce, 40,000 of which are hunting weapons.
Gun shop proprietor and sportsman Martin Bahovski says that... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Iceland,Denmark,Finland,Norway
Nordic Countries Set Sights on Stricter Gun Control after Norway Attacks
16 August 2011
Agence France Presse
STOCKHOLM — In the Nordic countries, where hunting is popular and firearms are plentiful, the twin July 22 attacks that killed 77 people in Norway have spurred lawmakers to consider tighter gun laws.
But change will not come without resistance in a region where hunting is viewed by many as a cultural heritage passed down from Viking ancestors, and sport shooting is a favourite pastime.
Finland, which has one of the world's highest gun ownership rates at 1.5 million... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Australia Says Government Is 'Helping Guns Proliferate'
14 August 2011
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
At least 20 rifles - including Brownings and Winchesters valued between $600 and $1500 each - can be won under the gun-lotto competition aimed at promoting the culling of foxes throughout the state.
FoxStop 2011 - an initiative of the Victorian Government's Future Farming Strategy, Field and Game Australia and the Sporting Shooters Association - is raffling the weapons.
It's believed up to six rifles have been won.
Gun Control Australia president John Crook... (GunPolicy.org)
Estonia Reports Shooting at Defence Ministry
11 August 2011
Associated Press
TALLINN, Estonia — A gunman armed with explosives entered Estonia's Defense Ministry on Thursday and opened fire, but police stormed the building and killed him, officials said. No one else was hurt.
Many employees were seen escaping from first-floor windows as the gunman detonated a smoke bomb and fired shots in the central Tallinn building.
Defense Minister Mart Laar said authorities should investigate whether the assailant had been partially motivated by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Killings Show Gun Control Only Affects Law Abiding Shooters
6 August 2011
New Jersey Local News, Opinion
Gun control results in giving control of guns to those who should never have them. The most recent, horrific example is in Norway, where last month a crazed citizen methodically killed 76 people. Everyone ran, including the unarmed police. The shooter, Anders Behring Breivik, acted as judge, jury and executioner — unopposed.
The unarmed citizens of Norway, where gun control prevails, assumed an incident of this nature would not — could not — occur. But the... (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)
United States,Norway,United Kingdom,Africa,Afghanistan,Mexico
Gun Trade Inevitably Leads to the Sort of Atrocity Inflicted on Norway
31 July 2011
Independent (UK), Opinion
In discussion of the atrocity in Norway last week, there is one subject which has been notable by the almost total silence about it: guns. In response to recurring massacres in American high schools and British villages, in response to footage from Africa and Afghanistan showing ragged, untrained young men brandishing automatic small arms, in response to a man coolly murdering dozens of youngsters in an hour-and-a-half, funfair-like shooting spree on a Norwegian island,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Activists Call for New Firearm Laws after Norway Massacre
28 July 2011
CBS News (USA)
Anti-gun violence activists in the U.S. are renewing their push for new gun laws in the wake of the revelation that the alleged Norway shooter claims to have purchased high-capacity ammunition magazines from a United States retailer.
Anders Behring Breivik, the alleged lone-wolf terrorist accused of shooting and killing 68 people at a youth camp in Norway and killing eight in an Oslo bombing last week, details purchasing the ammunition in his 1,500-page... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Prison Massacre Using Assault Weapons Left 17 Dead, Including Girl
28 July 2011
Guardian (UK)
Two days of debauchery and horror inside the municipal jail in Mexico's Ciudad Juárez began with alcohol, drugs and sex with minors, and ended with the massacre of 17 people using high-powered firearms later successfully concealed from police.
Some of the violence was captured on a surveillance video released by the state-level authority investigating what happened. It shows two prisoners clearing a corridor of guards before unlocking a door to allow armed men to... (GunPolicy.org)
Brothers Guilty of Namibia Farm Massacre Where 8 Had Died, Son Walks Free
28 July 2011
Namibian (Windhoek)
After close to six and a half years of being accused of having masterminded the murder of his parents and six other people at their farm south of Rehoboth, 'Shorty' Erasmus is a free man again.
Windhoek resident Justus Christiaan ('Shorty') Erasmus was found not guilty on all charges - including eight counts of murder - in the High Court in Windhoek yesterday.
The man whose claims led to Erasmus's arrest in mid-March 2005, Rehoboth resident Sylvester Beukes (26), and... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Shooter's Ruger Mini-14: Very Popular, 'Poor Man's Assault Rifle'
27 July 2011
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
The attack in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, apparently involving a Ruger Mini-14 assault rifle, is only the most horrific of the mass shootings involving the company's products.
Founded in 1949, the "corporate motto" of Sturm, Ruger & Co. is "Arms Makers for Responsible Citizens." But Sturm, Ruger firearms are also often found in the hands of mass shooters: last year's attack at a Connecticut beer distributor, leaving eight victims dead and two wounded; the 1999... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway's Gun Tradition Unshaken, Strong Gun Control Laws Supported
27 July 2011
South African Press Association / AFP
OSLO - Last week's massacre has shaken Norway to its core but will not stop 4000 shooters from competing at an event within days of the tragedy, speaking volumes about the nation's special relationship with guns.
The fact that the country has more than one firearm for every five people stems from the enormous popularity of hunting and means there have been few calls for new laws after a lone gunman shot dead 68 people on an island on Friday.
The tragedy's impact on... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Mass Shooting: Police Preparedness, Delays Questioned [Francais]
26 July 2011
Le Monde (France)
[Translated summary: The Norwegian Police intervention in the attacks of July 22 is questioned. Succession of contretemps, an unarmed police officer on the island, the authorisation to carry firearms, or the rise of criminality?]
Quand un homme vêtu d'un uniforme policier et muni de deux armes à feu commence à tirer sur l'île norvégienne d'Utoya, où se trouvent 600 jeunes réunis pour le camp d'été du Parti travailliste, personne ne se méfie. Il est alors 17... (GunPolicy.org)
Would Belgian Gun Law Prevent a Norway-style Shooting? [Francais]
26 July 2011
RTBF (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Lawfully acquire a weapon of war in order to commit a massacre as in Norway raises questions. Would the new Belgian legislation on firearms have prevented such tragedy for us?]
Se procurer une arme de guerre en toute légalité pour commettre un massacre comme en Norvège, pose question. La nouvelle législation belge sur les armes aurait-elle permis d'éviter un tel drame chez nous ?
Les conditions de base
La majorité des clients des armureries... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Norway,Australia
Australian Gun Control Group Renews Its Call for Semi-auto Handgun Ban
26 July 2011
Herald Sun (Melbourne) / AAP
The National Coalition for Gun Control has renewed its call for a ban on semi-automatic handguns after the Norway massacre.
Coalition co-convenor Samantha Lee said semi-automatic longarms were deemed too dangerous and banned in 1996 after the Port Arthur massacre in which Martin Bryant shot dead 35 people.
But semi-automatic handguns remain available to sporting shooters.
"It only takes one person with a high-powered semi-automatic firearm and access to lots of... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Shootings: Police Revise Bomb Death Toll to 8, Gun Deaths to 68
26 July 2011
Telegraph (UK)
Norwegian police revised down the death toll from Friday's bomb and shooting attack to 76 people from a previous estimate of 93, citing difficulties in gathering information at Utoeya island, where the shooting spree occurred.
Police told a news conference on Monday the confirmed death toll at Otoeya now stands at 68. At the same time people killed in the bomb attack was raised to eight.
"This figure of 68 is a decrease compared to earlier numbers of deaths given,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Iceland,United Kingdom,Norway
Unsettling Wariness In Norway, Where Police Are Rarely Armed
25 July 2011
New York Times
OSLO — When a man dressed in a police uniform began slaughtering young people at a Norwegian summer camp last week, one of the first to be killed was a real police officer named Trond Berntsen, who for years had worked in security at the camp.
Whether Officer Berntsen tried to stop the gunman is still being debated. But facing a man carrying multiple guns and ample ammunition, there was little he could do. Like most other police officers here, he had no weapon.
By... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden's Gun Laws Would Have Stopped Norway Killer: Police
25 July 2011
Local (Stockholm)
In Sweden, a person like Anders Behring Breivik wouldn't have been allowed an automatic weapon, according to Swedish police.
By law, licenses for automatic weapons can only be issued if there are extraordinary reasons. Among other things, the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) must justify the possession.
Breivik, the suspected mass murderer, wrote in his application that the reason he was applying for an automatic weapon license was to hunt deer.
"It wouldn't... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Activists Mourn Norway Victims
25 July 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A leading US group which has long pressed for tougher gun control laws in America Monday said the massacre in Norway was a tragic reminder that "guns are the enablers of mass killers."
The Brady Campaign, set up three decades ago to work to cut the number of gun deaths and injuries in the United States, said it "joins the world in mourning the horrific loss of life in the Norway terrorist attacks."
"The staggering toll of young lives taken by a gunman... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway's Mass Killer Used Special Bullets for Maximum Damage: Surgeon
25 July 2011
Associated Press
The gunman who slaughtered dozens of campers at a Norwegian island retreat used special bullets designed to disintegrate inside the body and cause maximum internal damage, the chief surgeon at a hospital treating victims said.
Colin Poole, head of surgery at Ringriket Hospital in Honefoss northwest of Oslo, said surgeons treating 16 gunshot victims have recovered only tiny fragments on bullets from victims' bodies, adding that the exit wounds were unusually small and... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Mass Killer Tried Smuggling, Then Bought His Guns Legally Instead
24 July 2011
Financial Times (UK)
The Nordic countries' hunting traditions mean that there is a high rate of gun ownership in Norway, where locals – and tourists - often go out to the woods to hunt wild reindeer, moose, deer, hare and grouse.
About 439,000 Norwegians are recognised by the Norwegian Register of Hunters, or about one in every 10 citizens. However, most have licences for bolt-action rifles and shotguns, with a smattering of semi-automatic weapons, and ownership of heavier weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
In Norway Gun Ownership is Common; Violence and Homicide Are Not
23 July 2011
Los Angeles Times
The shooting rampage that left at least 85 dead at a youth camp near Oslo stunned Norway, a nation of about 4.9 million residents who are far less accustomed to gun violence than the U.S.
Authorities have described the 32-year-old man arrested in connection with the shootings, as well as a bombing in downtown Oslo that left at least seven others dead, as a far-right Christian fundamentalist. A chilling manifesto attributed to the suspect, Anders Behring Breivik, that... (GunPolicy.org)
Worst-ever Mass Shooting Killer Licensed Gun Owner, Gun Club Member
23 July 2011
CNN
As Norway struggles to come to terms with its greatest loss of life in decades, all eyes are on the man charged in the explosion in central Oslo and the deadly shooting rampage at a youth camp.
While police have not officially named him, Norwegian television and newspaper reports have identified the suspect as 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik, of Norwegian origin.
A picture is emerging, gleaned from official sources and social media, of a right-wing Christian... (GunPolicy.org)
73yr-old Arizona Gun Owner Kills 6, Including Estranged Wife, Her Lawyer
2 June 2011
Yuma Sun (Arizona)
A 73-year-old Foothills man went on a shooting spree Thursday morning across Yuma County, killing five people and wounding another before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life.
The man, identified as Carey Hal Dyess, was found dead inside his silver Mazda in the area of Blaisdell and Highway 95 at 10:47 a.m. by Yuma County sheriff's deputies. He died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Yuma County Sheriff Ralph Ogden said the murders... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Claims Being Victim of Racism Before Shooting Co-Workers in Connecticut
12 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
MANCHESTER, Connecticut - There is no evidence to support a man's claim that he was a victim of racism before he fatally shot eight co-workers at a beer distribution company last year, police said Thursday.
Omar Thornton, who was black, "did not seem to understand the concept of seniority" and therefore believed he was subjected to racism at Hartford Distributors, Manchester Police Chief Marc Montminy said. The company's most senior drivers pick the best routes,... (GunPolicy.org)
Slow Erosion of Australian Gun Laws Presages Another Tragedy
28 April 2011
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
Fifteen years ago today, the largest gun massacre by a civilian - anywhere in the world - occurred in Tasmania. The weapons used by the Port Arthur murderer were designed for killing large numbers of people, and they delivered: 35 people lay dead and 18 wounded.
As a result of the tragedy, those weapons were banned from civilian ownership and more than 640,000 were bought back and destroyed. The rules applying to firearms in general were tightened, making it harder to... (GunPolicy.org)
After Brazil Mass Shooting, Demonstrators Demand Tougher Gun Laws
12 April 2011
NTD-TV News (New York), Transcript
A group of protesters gather on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro - three days after 12 children were shot dead at a local school.
They're calling on authorities to increase gun control measures.
As red-stained Brazilian flags blow in the breeze - the activists hold signs with the names of the children who were lined up and shot point-blank.
One demonstrator said security forces need to crack down on the availability of fire arms.
[Antonio Costa, President,... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Renews Its Million-Gun Destruction Push After Rio School Massacre
12 April 2011
Forbes (USA)
Brazil's Ministry of Justice is calling on gun owners to turn in their arms. The government's disarmament campaign is voluntary and began back in 2005, but the justice department opted to start the campaign earlier and promote it more feverishly following the nation's first homicidal school shooting on April 7 in the Realengo neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.
The disarmament campaign will start May 6 with the objective to take as many guns off the street as possible.... (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)
Licensed Dutch Gun Owner Had Mental History, 5 Guns, Killed 7, Hurt 17
11 April 2011
Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The man who went on a shooting rampage in a suburban Dutch mall fired more than 100 rounds in a few minutes as he killed six shoppers before turning one of his weapons on himself, Dutch prosecutors said Monday.
Tristan van der Vlis, 24, used three different guns during the shooting spree Saturday at the busy Ridderhof mall in the central city of Alphen aan den Rijn, prosecutors said in a statement after police had studied video images from mall... (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)
Suspected Vendors of Revolver to Rio Schoolkids' Mass Killer Arrested
10 April 2011
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
RIO DE JANEIRO – Rio de Janeiro's Civil Police announced Saturday the arrest of two men accused of selling a revolver to the perpetrator of last Thursday's massacre at a school, in which 12 children were killed and another 12 were wounded.
Charleston Souza de Lucena, 38, and Izaias de Souza, 48, were arrested before dawn Saturday, accused of selling a 32 caliber revolver to Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, the killer who committed suicide when surrounded by... (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)
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)
Young Gun Owner Shoots, Kills 12 in Brazil's Worst Mass School Shooting
7 April 2011
Associated Press
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - A gunman roamed the halls of an elementary school in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday and killed 11 children, lining them up against a wall and shooting them in the head at point-blank range as he shouted, "I'm going to kill you all!"
It was the worst school shooting in Brazil and would have been deadlier if the gunman had not been shot in the legs by a police officer, who said the man then fell down some stairs and shot himself in the head.
Images... (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)
Obama Calls for Tighter, Uniform Background Checks on US Gun Sales
13 March 2011
Arizona Daily Star
It's been more than two months since the tragedy in Tucson stunned the nation. It was a moment when we came together as one people to mourn and to pray for those we lost. And in the attack's turbulent wake, Americans by and large rightly refrained from finger-pointing, assigning blame or playing politics with other people's pain.
But one clear and terrible fact remains. A man our Army rejected as unfit for service; a man one of our colleges deemed too unstable for... (GunPolicy.org)
American Lawmakers, Industry, Lobby Push for More Guns on Campus
6 March 2011
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
ELIZABETH JACKSON: In the US, Texas legislators are considering giving college students the right to carry concealed weapons on campus.
Any changes to gun control in the US always sparks furious debates and this is no different.
Those pushing the move say it would help prevent massacres like Virginia Tech while others say it will only help increase the chances of yet another mass shooting.
Our North America correspondent Lisa Millar has been speaking to those on both... (GunPolicy.org)
