Top of PageGun Policy News
'Accidental' gun death, injury and prevention
Uncontrolled Circulation of Guns in Indonesia Jeopardizes Development
22 May 2012
Jakarta Post
The media coverage of an Army officer who brandished his gun in a street quarrel with a motorcycle rider recently raised concerns about the inappropriate use of arms.
The circulation of small arms has clearly reached a point that puts development sustainability and security in many countries in the world at risk.
The uncontrolled circulation of arms has contributed much to the mounting tension, terrorism or any other security threats to a country, such as what has... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,France,China,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Sweden
Pakistan a 'Very Gun-friendly Society,' 9 in 10 Owners Unlicensed
30 April 2012
Dawn (Karachi)
On January 25 this year, 32-year-old Waqas, a garment factory employee was hit by a bullet in New Karachi and he died. The bullet was not fired from the gun of a target killer, but by friends of a bridegroom amidst late-night wedding celebrations.
Two children aged 10 and 12, died in Sialkot in a similar incident on February 20, when the jubilant brother of a bridegroom unleashed a burst of bullets.
Such accidents, almost an every-day affair in Pakistan, never make it... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Vow to Strip Celebratory Shooters of Licence in Uttar Pradesh, India
25 April 2012
Indian Express
After several incidents of celebratory firings during victory processions of SP leaders and weddings, DGP AC Sharma has issued a circular to book gun licence holders involved in such incidents. The circular also said their licences will be cancelled within a month of the occurrence of such incidents.
The DGP has said that local police station officers will be accountable for such incidents taking place in their areas. The district police chiefs will ensure penal action... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
Most Americans Back Gun Lobby, Right to Use Deadly Force, Shoot to Kill
13 April 2012
Reuters
WASHINGTON - Most Americans support the right to use deadly force to protect themselves - even in public places - and have a favorable view of the National Rifle Association, the main gun-lobby group, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.
The online survey showed that 68 percent, or two out of three respondents, had a favorable opinion of the NRA, which starts its annual convention in St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday.
Eighty-two percent of Republicans saw the gun lobbying group... (GunPolicy.org)
Scandal as 13yr-old Underage Spanish Royal Shoots Himself in Foot
10 April 2012
Daily News (Durban) / SAPA-AFP
MADRID - Spanish King Juan Carlos' 13-year-old grandson has shot himself in the foot, the royal family said Tuesday, sparking a scandal because he is below the legal age for using a firearm.
The boy, Felipe Marichalar Borbon, shot himself while learning to use a shotgun on the family's estate in Soria, north-central Spain, on Monday, the royal household said in a statement.
"While on the patio of the house with his father, he shot himself with a small .36 calibre... (GunPolicy.org)
9-yr Old Boy Accidentally Shot Dead by 13-yr Old in France [Francais]
5 April 2012
Europe 1 (France)
[Translated summary: It is in his father's arms collection that a 13 years old teenager has found the rifle used in the unintentional shooting that killed a 9 years old this week in France. Europe 1 parses French regulations on possession of firearms: categories, storage, conditions for lawful possession and latest amendments.]
C'est dans la collection d'armes à feu de son père que l'adolescent de 13 ans aurait trouvé le fusil qui a tué un enfant de 9 ans mercredi... (GunPolicy.org)
'Child-access Prevention' Laws to Prevent Accidental Shootings in US
20 March 2012
Seattle Times, Opinion
Gun owners can help protect others by storing their guns responsibly; a useful site for starters is lokitup.org, says Dr. Frederick P. Rivara, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington.
In our local community and in the nation, parents are grieving for their children who have been injured or killed recently by guns. We have all read the headlines, seen the news reports and shaken our heads about these tragedies. While we all agree that such events... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil: 4.3 Million Guns Sold in 5yrs, 40,000 Gun Deaths in 2009 [Portugues]
27 January 2012
Publica (Brazil)
[Translated summary: domestic manufacturers alone sold 4.3 million guns in Brazil over the past five years. Nearly 40,000 people died in 2009 in episodes involving firearms, including homicides, suicides and accidents, according to latest figures provided by the Ministry of Health. A study by Pablo Dreyfuss, who was a leading expert on the subject, showed that 90% of these deaths are the result of crimes and the risk of dying from injuries caused by firearms in Brazil... (GunPolicy.org)
Glock: The Rise of America's Favourite Handgun
27 January 2012
New York Times, Book review
You rarely pull a gun to start a conversation, but when I recently told an in-law that I was writing about Glock pistols, he improvised a research project. Reaching beneath his jacket, he quickly unholstered, unloaded and handed me his Glock 9 millimeter — this was in Kentucky, land of permissive concealed-carry laws. "I always carry this, and I always will," he said before giving me a primer that could have been used in a promotional video for both the pistol and... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Love Under Fire - Experts Call for National Firearm Registry
5 January 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Almost two centuries have passed since Switzerland last fought in a war, yet the country's gun ownership rate remains the highest in Europe. After a series of gun-related killings at the end of last year, The Local's Meritxell Mir looks at what's being done to get fingers off triggers.
Every year, more than 300 people die in Switzerland in gun-related incidents. In many ways, the figure is quite low, when one considers the country has about 2.5 million weapons in... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Possession a Status Symbol in India, Firearms a Common Dowry Item
22 December 2011
Star Online ((Malaysia)
Possessing firearms is a status symbol in India's northern rural belt and it isn't unusual to find guns as part of a bride's dowry.
For a country that witnesses a whopping 10 million marriages a year, India boasts a cachet of interesting nuptial traditions as well.
While the big cities are synonymous with the Big Fat Indian Wedding – occasions which showcase opulence, financial clout and the social pecking order of well-to-do families – swathes of the northern... (GunPolicy.org)
Amish Girl Shot in Head, Killed by Man Cleaning Rifle 2km Away in Ohio
21 December 2011
Sydney Morning Herald / AP
The shooting death of a 15-year-old Amish girl driving a horse-drawn buggy was caused by a man who accidentally shot his rifle into the air while cleaning it two kilometres away, US police say.
Rachel Yoder was shot in the head on Thursday night while travelling to her home in Fredericksburg, Ohio.
She had attended a Christmas party for employees at an Amish produce farm and was riding home alone when she was shot, police Captain Douglas Hunter said on... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Govt Recorded More Than 38,000 Gun Deaths in 2010 [Espanol]
12 December 2011
La Nueva (Argentina)
[Translated summary: According to data released by Brazil Ministry of Health, 70.5% of the murders of 2010 involved firearms. If suicides, accidents and gun deaths from undetermined cause are taken into account, firearms were involved in the death of more than 38,000 people.]
El 70,5 % de los asesinatos que se registraron en Brasil en 2010, 35.233 personas, fueron muertos con armas de fuego, según datos difundidos hoy por el Ministerio de Salud.
Si se cuentan los... (GunPolicy.org)
Libyan Civilians Hold On to a Deadly Legacy: Assault Rifles, Machine Guns
7 December 2011
New York Times
MISURATA, Libya — On the night that he was to die, Hassan Nahassi should have been safe.
It was Oct. 20. A middle-age man turned Libyan rebel commander, Mr. Nahassi had returned home in the evening, leaving behind the front lines of Surt for a reprieve from the fighting. He wanted to rest with his wife and children.
Then came the news. Muatassim el-Qaddafi, a son of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, had been captured on the front that Mr. Nahassi had left only hours... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Oppose Gun Lobby Push to Slacken Law, Reduce Gun Limits in Japan
7 December 2011
Japan Today
TOKYO — Farmers in rural areas have been reporting increasing damage to their crops by wild boar, deer and other animals. To make firearms more accessible, a bill that would loosen the currently tight restrictions on hunting rifles has been proposed in the Diet. But, the Sankei Shimbun (Dec 4) reports, the police remain adamantly opposed to changes in the law.
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in 2009, crop damage from... (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)
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)
Cambodia,Thailand,India,Myanmar,Bangladesh
Menace of Illicit Small Arms Industry, Trade, Violence in India - Opinion
28 November 2011
Express Buzz (India), Opinion
According to a recent study, India witnessed 4,100 gunshot murders in 2008. These murders would work out to 12.2 per cent of the over 33,700 murders reported during the year. Overall, there were over 6,200 deaths due to gunshots; about 66 per cent of them were murders, 26.3 per cent were accidental deaths and 7.7 per cent were suicides. It was also reported that most of the victims of firearm murders in India were killed using unlicensed firearms.
Studies conducted... (GunPolicy.org)
Despite Police Protests, Blind American Man Legally Holds 12+ Handguns
25 November 2011
New York Times
ROCKAWAY, N.J. — Judging by what the authorities say about him, Steven Hopler has really been testing the limits of the Second Amendment.
Mr. Hopler, 49, who lives on a winding road here, is once again fighting for his right to keep and bear arms despite having been totally blind for most of his adult life. He has repeatedly persuaded judges to let him keep his collection of more than a dozen handguns, but doing so has been more complicated since 2008, when he was... (GunPolicy.org)
Handicap International Graffiti Contest Promotes Gun Control in Libya
21 November 2011
Tripoli Post (Libya)
The Saturday forecast warned of a rainy November afternoon - a crowd gathered nonetheless at the Tashkil Libya Al-Hurra Brigade in Keesh for one of Benghazi's first ever formal graffiti contests organised by French NGO Handicap International to raise awareness of the dangers posed by small arms and light weapons.
However, for many of the young contestants it was as much an opportunity for personal expression, as it was about tackling one of Libya's most pressing... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Shoots Himself, Dies at Florida Gun Range
19 November 2011
Miami Herald / AP
ORLANDO, Florida - Authorities are investigating after a man fatally shot himself in the head at a central Florida gun range.
Orange County deputies said the 45-year-old man arrived at the gun range Friday night and began shooting in the practice lanes. The Orlando Sentinel (http://lb.vg/S5oh9) reports he then shot himself in the head. He later died at the hospital. His name has not been released.
Authorities are investigating whether the shooting was accidental or... (GunPolicy.org)
US Baseball Hero Cleared of Celebratory Shooting in Dominican Republic
9 November 2011
BBC News
Dominican Republic baseball star Alfredo Simon has been cleared of charges over a fatal shooting in the country on 1 January.
Simon, pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, was accused of shooting dead one man and injuring another during New Year celebrations.
Defence lawyers said the prosecution had failed to prove he fired the shots.
The baseball player was held for two months earlier this year as the main suspect before being released on bail.
Simon was accused of... (GunPolicy.org)
Growing Spread of Homemade Firearms in Cameroon, Debate Revived
3 November 2011
Radio Netherlands
Last July, 21-year-old Giulien Tchouangang accidentally shot and killed his little brother, Sidou Dzongang, who was only 13. The two brothers were playing with a firearm they found in their living room, unaware that it was loaded.
"The firearm Giulien Tchouangang used is a homemade 5.5mm calibre rifle which was modified into a 12 mm calibre that is used for hunting," says Sergeant Wassaing Albert, who heads the Bangou gendarmerie unit in Western Province of Cameroon,... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Congo (DRC),Sudan,Central African Republic,Sri Lanka,Colombia,Jamaica,Iraq,El Salvador,Central Africa,Caribbean,Central America,South America
Study Finds Again That Crime, Not War is Main Source of Gun Violence
29 October 2011
Associated Press
GENEVA — More people are killed by armed violence resulting from crime than are killed in war, with Latin America and a swath of countries through the middle of Africa among the hardest hit, an international study claimed Thursday.
About 526,000 people die violently every year — or more than 1,400 people every day — according to the 2011 Global Burden of Armed Violence report.
Only about 55,000 of those killed die in warfare, while an estimated 396,000 people... (GunPolicy.org)
Scrapping Canada Long-Gun Registry: Some Relevant Numbers
26 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
Since the introduction of stricter gun laws in 1991, there has been a 65 per cent reduction in homicides by long guns, Statistics Canada data shows. The reduction in homicides involving any type of firearm was 37 per cent.
Statistics Canada released a report on Oct. 26, 2011, on homicides in Canada in 2010. That year, there were 170 shooting homicides, about 32 per cent of all homicides. The total homicide rate fell to its lowest level since 1966 (1.62 per 100,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Should French Police Officers Keep Service Guns at Home? [Francais]
19 October 2011
TF1 News (France)
[Translated summary: Three police suicides, two family tragedies and one fatal accident in a single month. Should French police officers be banned from keeping their firearms at home?]
Après une série de suicides et de faits divers tragiques impliquant des policiers munis de leur arme au domicile, la question se pose plus que jamais. Mais ni l'Intérieur ni les syndicats n'envisagent une telle solution pour l'instant.
Le 22 septembre 2011, un gardien de la paix en... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Injuries to Patients Younger than 19 Up Sharply in US, Says Study
18 October 2011
MedPage Today (New Jersey)
BOSTON -- Firearm-related injuries to patients younger than 19 accounted for an estimated 186,000 emergency department (ED) visits over the period from 1999 to 2007, investigators reported here.
As a proportion of total ED visits for that age group, firearm injuries accounted for 30% more visits than documented in earlier studies.
The findings could reflect differences in the data and methods used to calculate firearm-injury rates, but might also reflect a true... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Injuries to Kids in US are Underestimated, Study Shows
17 October 2011
CBS News (USA)
How likely are children to be injured by firearms? A lot more likely than doctors used to think. In fact, a new study shows that the rate of non-fatal firearm injuries in kids is 30 percent higher than previous estimates.
Each year, the study showed, there are 20,600 firearm injuries - including 8,368 injuries resulting in death - in people age 19 and younger. More than a third of these injuries - 37 percent - were unintentional.
The study, based on the National... (GunPolicy.org)
'Don't Put Your Loaded Firearm in Your Pocket', Say New Zealand Police
17 October 2011
New Zealand Herald / APNZ
A Waikato man who shot himself with a pistol down his pants was lucky he didn't hit an artery and die, police say.
The 35-year-old shot himself while trying to hide a gun from police while returning from possum-hunting with his brother on Friday night.
The man did not have a licence for the .22 pistol he had in his pants and was attempting to get rid of it before police saw it, Sergeant Jim Corbett of Thames Strategic Traffic Unit said today.
Officers were called to... (GunPolicy.org)
After Accidental Handgun Shooting, India Police Need Training on Gun Use
6 October 2011
Daily News & Analysis (India)
The accidental firing from the service pistol of a traffic constable at the police commissionerate has brought to the fore the rather "amateurish" manner in which a section of the police force handles firearms.
On Tuesday afternoon, constable Vijay Bhusare (27) attached to the Pune police traffic branch was injured when a bullet hit him when his colleague, Amol Sarde, was displaying his pistol and explaining its functioning.
"Sarde initially loaded the pistol with... (GunPolicy.org)
India,Russia,Germany,United States
India's Unlicensed Gun Market Thrives on Smuggled, Home Made Firearms
5 October 2011
First Post (Mumbai)
A 10-year-old boy was accidentally shot dead by his 12-year-old neighbour while they were playing cop and thief in West Delhi earlier this week. On 24 September, 23-year-old toll attendant, Umeshkant Pandey, was shot dead by the driver of a white Bolero. His crime: he asked the driver to pay Rs 27 as toll tax.
Gun crime has consistently been on the rise in India, and every few weeks, there is a new tragedy. An armed gang shoots a woman over a small piece of jewellery,... (GunPolicy.org)
Stepfather Charged After 10-yr Old Shoots, Kills Teen in Canada
4 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Charges have been approved in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Fernie resident Michael Voth.
Voth was fatally shot by a 10-year-old boy during a gathering at a home in Jaffray, B.C. on June 16.
Police determined that the child found a shotgun in the home, and accidentally fired it at Voth while he held it in his hands.
Voth was killed instantly.
The owner of the gun, 51-year-old George Lewis Phillips, who is the boy's stepfather, has been charged... (GunPolicy.org)
Libyans Launch Grassroots Efforts to Stop Deadly Proliferation of Guns
1 October 2011
Miami Herald
TRIPOLI, Libya -- Alarmed at the deadly arsenals piling up in ordinary Libyan neighborhoods, self-appointed community leaders in Tripoli have begun issuing their own gun licenses and, in some cases, conducting raids to retrieve land mines and rockets stored in private homes.
Qatar and other nations flooded Libya with arms during revolutionary forces' six-month struggle to overthrow longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. And when the NATO-backed former rebels finally toppled... (GunPolicy.org)
85% of Gun Suicides Committed with Hunting Rifle in Quebec [Francais]
28 September 2011
La Seigneurie (Canada)
[Translated summary: With automn's arrival, many Quebecers take out their hunting equipment. The Director of Public Health would like to take this opportunity to remind hunters to be vigilant when handling their firearms to ensure their safety and that of their loved ones. Indeed, no less than 85% of suicides and 17% of homicides with firearms in Quebec are committed with a hunting carbine or shotgun.]
Avec l'arrivée de l'automne, de nombreux Montérégiens sortent... (GunPolicy.org)
Constable Accidentally Shoots Himself in Singapore
28 September 2011
Asia One (Singapore)
KAJANG - A police constable is fighting for his life after accidentally shooting himself at the district police headquarters here yesterday.
Constable Syaiful Nizam Zamaluddin, 24, was about to surrender his duty gun, a revolver .38, after finishing his shift, when the gun accidentally went off in the incident at 7.50pm.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Ab Rashid Ab Wahab said the victim who had been admitted at the Intensive Care unit of the Kajang... (GunPolicy.org)
85% of India's 40 Million Private Guns are Illegal - Small Arms Survey
21 September 2011
Indian Express
NEW DELHI - India has seen a drastic reduction in deaths due to firearms crimes but Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh remain the most dangerous states and account for more than 60 per cent of all deaths recorded that were related to small arms, a new survey has suggested.
A report by the Small Arms Survey, a research group based out of Geneva, has recorded crime statistics in India over a 10-year period from 1999 and says that the number of suicides, murders and... (GunPolicy.org)
Easy Availability of Illegal Guns in India, Guns Behind 12% of Murders
21 September 2011
Tribune (India)
NEW DELHI - The easy availability of illegal firearms made Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand witness to two-thirds of all murders committed using firearms in 2008, the latest year for which the related data is available.
India, as a whole, witnessed 4,101 gunshot murders during the period. These accounted for 12.2 per cent of the 33,727 murders reported during the year. Overall, the country lost 6,219 persons to gunshots - 66 pc of them were murdered, 26.3 pc killed... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal: Impact of Small Arms on Gender
20 September 2011
Telegraph (Nepal), Opinion
1. Facts:
Small arms:
Small Arms mean the weapons that a single and individual can carry and operate. For example revolvers, self loading pistols, rifles, carbines, assault rifles, sub machineguns, light machineguns and associated ammunitions.[1]
Light weapons means that can be operate two or three people. They may include heavy machine gun, hand–held under barrel and mounted grenade launcher, portable anti-aircraft and missile launcher, explosives, anti personal... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy Shoots, Kills Friend with Father's Police Pistol in Switzerland [Francais]
19 September 2011
Le Matin (Lausanne)
[Translated summary: A teenager accidentally shot dead his friend with his father's handgun. The father, who is an experienced police officer, did not store his handgun in a secured cabinet. According to Thurgovia law, police officers do not have to comply with the Federal Law on Firearms in terms of safe storage of guns kept at home.]
Trois écoliers thurgoviens jouaient avec le pistolet de service du père de l'un d'eux, un policier. Celui-ci a été mis sous... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Law that Limited Doctors' Ability to Ask about Guns Is Blocked
19 September 2011
Time (USA)
A federal court has blocked a new Florida law that limited the ability of doctors to ask patients if they had guns in the home. Judge Monica Cooke, a Republican appointee, rightly said that the law interfered with both doctors' right to free speech and patients' right to receive information.
The ruling, which came down last week, struck an important blow for freedom of expression. But it did something more: it dealt a rare setback to a gun-rights lobby that is... (GunPolicy.org)
Bermuda Island Must Try Gun Buyback Scheme, Says Former Senator
19 September 2011
Royal Gazette (Bermuda)
The state of New Jersey has well-publicised problems with gangs and guns and one Bermudian has been doing his part to try to solve them.
The Rev Leonard Santucci, pastor of St Paul AME Church in East Orange, was involved in a gun buy back programme, which resulted in the recovery of almost 1,000 guns in just a couple of days.
The scheme saw prosecutors in Essex County join forces with churches of various denominations to encourage those with guns to turn them in.
Dr... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy Injures 2 Students with Unattended Police Assault Rifle in Russia
17 September 2011
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MAKHACHKALA - A high school student in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan accidentally wounded two other students after he made a shot from an assault rifle in a school, a local police spokesman said on Saturday.
He said several policemen were invited to a school in the Tarumovsky district of Dagestan to deliver a lecture for children.
"A senior class student was examining an assault rifle that was left unattended for some time by one of the policemen after... (GunPolicy.org)
Montenegro,Bosnia & Herzegovina,European Union,Serbia,Eastern Europe,Southern Europe,Croatia,Kosovo,Albania
Balkan Countries Work To Round Up Privately Held Guns, Ammunition
5 September 2011
Southeast European Times (Pristina)
The statistics about gun ownership regionwide are surprising and the results can be deadly. In Albania alone, for example, analyst Jonuz Kola estimated this summer that 6% to 9% of the population has a weapon in the home. Scores of accidental shootings occur, including that of a 9-year-old in Shkodra, who died at the hands of his 11-year-old brother on July 18th.
Xhavit Shala, an expert within the Albanian Interior Ministry notes that in 1997, a considerable amount of... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Bullets from the Sky, Amateurs with Guns Multiply Firearm Injury in Libya
30 August 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
ZUWARA, Libya — If not for guns, there would be a lot of idle hands in Libya.
Out front of what used to be a high school, Fethi Karshman, 49, whose brother Samir lives in St. Catharines, Ont., is wiping down parts of a Russian anti-aircraft gun.
When he is done, Karshman, an engineer who studied Russian in university, will re-assemble the weapon, which sits on a flatbed truck.
"We take it from Gadhafi (forces) yesterday," he says.
Asked if he knows guns, Karshman... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia,Macedonia,Kuwait,Iraq,Philippines,Jordan,Turkey,United States,Libya
Celebratory Shooting Injuries: How Dangerous is Firing a Gun Into the Air?
22 August 2011
BBC News
Libyan rebels have celebrated their advance into Tripoli by firing guns in the air. How hazardous is this?
It is, unarguably, an emphatic way to display one's jubilation.
Shooting an automatic weapon into the sky to signal an occasion one welcomes is a popular practice in much of the world, as the footage of Libyan anti-Gaddafi forces seizing the main square of the capital city has demonstrated.
But it is a potentially fatal activity, which regularly results in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Another Shooting at Indoor Firing Range in South Australia
12 August 2011
AdelaideNow (Australia)
A workplace investigation is underway at an indoor firing range after a man accidentally shot himself in the groin.
The incident at the Marksman Indoor Firing Range on Franklin St in the city happened when the man, 40, accidentally shot himself in the groin-upper leg area about 3.30pm.
An SA Police spokesman said the man was an employee at the firing range.
Paramedics treated him before he was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a stable condition, an SA... (GunPolicy.org)
Colorado Man Died after Shooting Himself Playing Russian Roulette
11 July 2011
Reuters
DENVER - A 21-year-old Colorado man died over the weekend after shooting himself in the head playing Russian roulette, police said on Monday.
Anthony Martin of Pueblo, Colorado suffered the fatal gunshot wound early Sunday morning after drinking with some friends, Pueblo Police Sergeant Eric Bravo told Reuters.
Bravo said Martin and three other men were drinking beer and firing off the handgun when Martin said, "let's play Russian roulette," put the gun to his head... (GunPolicy.org)
Drunk, Licensed Canadian Pistol Owner Jailed for Shooting His Best Friend
20 June 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
BARRIE - Beer, vodka, and a loaded gun led to a catastrophe when a 20-year-old shot his best friend in the stomach, a court heard Monday.
Cody Rose, 20, of Alliston, pleaded guilty to the Dec, 18, 2010 incident that left his best friend, Chris Redmayne, 20, laying on his floor in a pool of blood.
Rose was sentenced to six months in jail with one year probation and a ten-year weapons prohibition.
Court heard the two friends spent a night of drinking and playing video... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Law: 'A Cross Violation of Doctors Right to Provide Preventive Care'
9 June 2011
Huffington Post (USA), Opinion
Do you want your pediatrician to assess existing risks to your child's health, based on the latest scientific knowledge? Do you want your doctor to tell you the truth about those risks, based on the best evidence that can be brought to bear? When it comes to the risks of guns in the home, particularly to children, the gun lobby wants to prevent doctors from telling you the truth and prevent you from hearing it.
At the insistence of the National Rifle Association,... (GunPolicy.org)
6yr-old Girl was Killed by 2yr-old Brother in California, 53 Guns Found in Home
31 May 2011
KGPE CBS47-TV (California)
After 6-year-old Emily Lavender was accidently shot and killed by her 2-year-old half brother, police served a search warrant and found 53 firearms. Lavender was a first grader at Maple Creek Elementary.
"Emily was very sweet and a loving, loving young girl here at maple creek and she's going to be missed," said Gina Kimset, the Principal at Maple Creek Elementary.
Police say the 6-year-old was accidentally shot and killed by her two-year-old half brother, who... (GunPolicy.org)
2-yr Old Boy Accidentally Shot and Killed his 6-yr Old Sister in California
30 May 2011
Fresno Bee (California) / AP
FRESNO, California - Police are trying to determine how a 2-year-old Fresno boy got ahold of a gun with which he accidentally shot and killed his 6-year-old sister.
Sgt. Stephen Viveros tells the Fresno Bee the victim was playing with two other siblings in a bedroom in the family's home on Sunday when the toddler walked into the room with a loaded semi-automatic handgun. He says the boy fired a shot that mortally wounded his sister.
Viveros says officers seized a... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Arrested After Accidentally Killing Friend With Shotgun Blast in California
26 May 2011
Daily Breeze (Los Angeles) / AP
LOS ANGELES, California - A San Pedro man has been arrested after killing his 16-year-old friend with a shotgun blast but he says it was an accident.
Authorities say 18-year-old Joseph Hecker was holding the shotgun when he answered his door Tuesday afternoon. Police say the gun went off, striking his longtime friend Dale Lee Soto in the chest.
The Torrance Daily Breeze says Hecker told investigators the shooting was accidental.
He was arrested on suspicion of murder... (GunPolicy.org)
Salt Lake City Airport Arrests 20 a Year Trying to Bring Guns on Planes
25 May 2011
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
Don't bring your loaded gun to the airport, say officials from the Salt Lake City International Airport.
Seven arrests involving firearms have been logged since January. And last year officials reported 20 firearm arrests and 35 arrests for possession of other weapons.
"This is an alarming pattern," Airport Police Chief Steve Marlovits said in a news release Wednesday. "It has become a common event. The traveling public needs to focus on the fact that guns and weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
14yr-old Girl Accidentally Shot By Teen in California
2 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
HOLLISTER, California - Hollister police say a teen is under arrest for accidentally killing a 14-year-old girl over the weekend when a gun he was handling accidentally went off.
Detectives early Monday arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with the death of Genevieve Destefanis.
Police say a 16-year-old boy was arrested as an accessory soon after. The two teenagers were booked into San Benito County Juvenile Hall.
Hollister police Captain David Westrick says... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handgun Permit Holder Neglects Gun, US Toddler Kills His Mother
26 April 2011
MSNBC News (USA)
A momentary lapse in attention was all it took for a toddler to grab a loaded gun and fatally shoot his mother, a 911 call of the incident revealed Monday.
According to a man identified in the call as the 2-year-old boy's father, the boy grabbed the hand gun and before the man could get it away from the inquisitive child, the toddler had pulled the trigger.
The bullet hit Julia Bennett in the back, killing the 33-year-old Miramar woman.
"The little boy take it up off... (GunPolicy.org)
Dad Took Glock to Meet Estranged Partner, Says 3yr-old Shot Her Dead
23 April 2011
WSVN-TV News (Miami)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - A judge has decided the father of the toddler at the center of an investigation involving the shooting death of his mother will not see his son… for now.
At the Broward County Courthouse Friday, the judge ordered Troy Bailey Jr. stay with the family on his mother's side. The 2-year-old's father, Troy Bailey Sr., had claimed his son accidentally shot his mother, 33-year-old Julia Bennett, in her apartment Wednesday night.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
Koran-burning US Pastor Fires Hidden Handgun in TV Station Parking Lot
22 April 2011
USA Today
Terry Jones, the Quran-burning pastor from Florida who is in Michigan to try to mount an anti-Muslim rally this evening, accidentally fired his .40-caliber handgun while leaving a TV studio parking lot Thursday night, the Detroit Free Press reports, quoting police.
The 59-year-old pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., is in court today to press his plans to rally today in front of the Islamic Center of America, in Dearborn, a heavily Muslim... (GunPolicy.org)
Charges Laid After 15yr-old New Zealand Girl Shot with Neighbour's Pistol
21 April 2011
New Zealand Press Association
A man has been charged with careless use of a firearm after a 15-year-old girl was accidentally shot in the abdomen in Rolleston, southwest of Christchurch.
The girl was inside a house when a pistol was discharged from an adjoining garage on Monday night.
"When it's [the pistol] discharged, it's [the bullet] gone through the garage into the house and ricocheted off a fridge," Detective Sergeant Ross Tarawhiti, of Southern CIB, told The Press.
The girl suffered... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Working Out How Texas Kindergartner Got Gun, Injured 3 6yr-olds
20 April 2011
Associated Press
HOUSTON - Police are trying to determine how a Houston kindergartener got a loaded gun that he brought to an elementary school, where officials say it accidentally fired when it fell from his pocket as he sat down for lunch, wounding himself and two other students.
Some parents said the incident has made them think twice about safety at the school and they wonder if additional security measures, including extra officers and even metal detectors, are needed. School... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dropped by 6yr-old Texas Schoolboy Fires, Injures 3 Children in Class
19 April 2011
Associated Press
A kindergartener brought a gun to his Houston elementary school and was among three students injured when it dropped from his pocket during lunchtime and accidentally fired, officials said.
One bullet discharged at about 11 a.m. in the school's cafeteria, spraying fragments at the students, said Houston Independent School District Assistant Police Chief Robert Mock.
"Either some type of chips off the floor, or it could be pieces of the round that discharged," Mock... (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)
Drinking Gun Show Patron Loads .45cal Handgun, Injures 2 in Indiana
10 April 2011
Associated Press
EVANSVILLE, Indiana — Police say a man who'd been drinking accidentally fired his .45 caliber handgun at a gun and knife show inside the Evansville National Guard Armory, slightly injuring a 72-year-old man and 16-year-old boy.
It happened Saturday at the Tri-State Gun and Knife Show.
The Evansville Courier & Press says 30-year-old Joshua Wilkinson of Boonville is charged with criminal recklessness.
Police say he removed a round from the gun and applied a flex tie... (GunPolicy.org)
Children, Guns Not a Good Mix: Australian Gun Lobby Push to Lower Age
27 March 2011
Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne), Opinion
Few topics divide like guns. I don't like guns, and I definitely don't think children and guns should be allowed to mix.
Did you know that in Victoria, a child can carry and shoot a gun provided they are in the company of a licensed adult?
We should all be appalled by that.
We have tough gun control laws - have done since Port Arthur when John Howard bulldozed the National Firearm Agreement through - but there is a loophole that needs to be addressed because children... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby's 'Physician Gag Bill' Under Attack from Florida Pediatricians
20 March 2011
Miami Herald, Opinion
How does a law-abiding pediatrician become a career criminal?
If the original "physician gag bill" filed by state. Rep. Jason Brodeur and Sen. Greg Evers became law, simply by speaking up to help families and save lives would we become criminals. Amendments reduced the offense, which would be punishable by a fine of $10,000 the first time, and a minimum of $100,000 for anyone who asks about safety more than twice. The bill, which will be taken up by the Senate Health... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Shot, Killed in Training Class for Missouri Hidden Handgun Permit
10 March 2011
Springfield News-Leader (Missouri)
The Douglas County sheriff is investigating the death of a man who accidentally shot himself while taking a class to obtain a permit to carry a concealed gun.
The sheriff said the accident happened while an instructor was having the man manipulate the weapon with his non-dominant hand -- in this case, his left.
Glenn Seymour was 63. He worked as a part-time emergency dispatcher in Mountain Grove, said Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase.
"It was an accident," said... (GunPolicy.org)
Rare Defeat for Gun Lobby as Florida Rejects Open Gun Carry on Campus
9 March 2011
Miami Herald
TALLAHASSEE — The NRA was handed a rare defeat Wednesday when Senate Republicans scrapped plans to allow some people to bring guns on college campuses.
The defeat was born of a tragic frat house shooting at Florida State University on Jan. 9. It was about 1 a.m. that day when Amy Cowie, 20, watched her twin sister die in her arms after Amy's boyfriend accidentally shot her with his AK-47-style rifle.
Amy tried CPR as blood gushed from Ashley's chest, but couldn't... (GunPolicy.org)
US Dad Taught 8yr-old to Use Revolver. At 14, He Killed His Sister With It
2 March 2011
Delaware County Daily Times (Pennsylvania)
WEST CHESTER — Chester County District Attorney Joseph Carroll announced Tuesday his office will not file charges against the 14-year-old Westtown boy who fatally shot his 11-year-old sister in December.
Carroll has also decided not to file charges against the parents who kept the loaded gun in the family's home. The revolver used in the accidental shooting is the same firearm the parents had trained the 14-year-old to use in emergencies, Carroll said.
Katherine... (GunPolicy.org)
Playing with Air Rifle, North Carolina 4yr-old Shoots, Kills His 7yr-old Brother
28 February 2011
WITN-TV News (North Carolina)
Two children playing with a loaded air rifle has ended with one of them dead.
Wilson County deputies say 7-year-old Alejandro Mejia and his younger brother were playing outside their home with the rifle Friday night.
Authorities tell WITN News the air rifle in question is a Daisy Powerline 35 and can shoot both BBs or pellets. It is still not known whether BBs or pellets were in the gun.
Sergeant Wanda Samuel says the parents knew the children were playing with the... (GunPolicy.org)
Alabama Man Falls, Shoots Himself: Son Shoots Mother Retrieving Glock
27 February 2011
Press-Register (Alabama)
BAY MINETTE, Alabama - A Baldwin County husband and wife were wounded late Saturday night in what appeared to be accidental shootings at their home east of Bay Minette, authorities said.
One of the shots was fired by the couple's young son.
Baldwin County Sheriff's Office spokesman Maj. Anthony Lowery said Aleisha Jones was shot in the neck when the boy picked up the .40-caliber Glock handgun that had just injured his father, and fired.
Both were taken to University... (GunPolicy.org)
Rifle Bullet Hits Two Patrons, One Critically Injured at Illinois Gun Show
26 February 2011
Pantagraph (Illinois)
BLOOMINGTON — Two men were injured in an accidental shooting Saturday morning at the ECA Gun and Knife Show at Bloomington's Sale Barn.
An attendee at the show was handling a mini-14 semiautomatic rifle at about 11:15 a.m. As the patron was laying the rifle back on a vendor table, the gun accidentally discharged, said McLean County Sheriff Mike Emery.
"The round went through a post, through a person and then into another person," Emery said.
The sheriff described... (GunPolicy.org)
Granddad Fiddles with Airgun, Kills 8yr-old Grandson in North Carolina
24 February 2011
News & Observer (North Carolina)
RALEIGH - Police are urging young people and their parents to be careful with firearms after a pellet gun accidentally went off this week, killing an 8-year-old boy.
Police are particularly concerned about guns on which the safety mechanism is located next to the trigger. Ty-Rion Jayele Henry's grandfather was attempting to put the safety on a pellet gun when he accidentally hit the trigger, shooting Ty-Rion in the eye Monday.
He was pronounced dead Tuesday after he... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Visits Massachusetts Gun Shop, Rents Gun, Dies on the Range
24 February 2011
Gloucester Daily Times (Massachusetts)
SALISBURY — The Essex Country District Attorney's office yesterday identified the man found dead inside a Route 1 gun club Wednesday night as Lawrence Pelrin of 12 Cottage St., Hingham.
The 60-year-old Pelrin was discovered inside Bob's Tactical Shooting Range & Gun Shop a little after 6 p.m. while the club was still open. By 7:15 p.m., the body had been removed from the shooting range section of the building and into a dark-colored Suburban SUV. According to... (GunPolicy.org)
8yr-old West Virginia Boy Shoots His Mother Dead While Cleaning His Gun
23 February 2011
Charleston Daily Mail (West Virginia)
State Police say a Fayette County woman was killed when the firearm her eight-year-old son was cleaning went off.
Sgt. Michael Baylous, spokesman for the State Police, said Jennifer Bailes, 29, was shot and killed Tuesday morning at her home in Hico, which is just outside of Anstead.
The little boy had been cleaning a firearm near Bailes when it discharged, troopers said. Troopers would not specify what type of weapon it was.
Baylous said the incident is being... (GunPolicy.org)
Student Shoots Instructor Dead in California Security Guard Training Class
23 February 2011
Los Angeles Times
A student fatally shot a teacher during a security-guard class at a downtown L.A. vocational school, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The shooting occurred at the Coast Career Institute on 1300 block of south Hill Street. It was reported around 4 p.m.
Police officials were trying to determine details, but sources told The Times that the shooting occurred inside a classroom at the adult vocational facility.
A suspect was in custody and a gun has been... (GunPolicy.org)
Miami Celebratory Shooting Killed 10yr-old Boy: Gun Owner Gets 10yrs Jail
11 February 2011
Miami Herald
For shooting his pistol into a discarded couch on New Year's Eve, killing an 11-year-old boy hiding behind the furniture, Zenon Fernandez must serve 10 years in prison, a Miami-Dade judge ruled Friday.
"There are no winners in this case," said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Yvonne Colodny.
A jury in October convicted Fernandez of manslaughter with a deadly weapon in the slaying of Joshua Arroliga, who was killed while playing a game of hide-and-seek on Dec. 31, 2007 outside... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Plans Three News Laws to 'Enable More People to Kill Each Other'
1 February 2011
Miami Herald, Column
Gun-control policies unleash passions. Those who advocate for firearm ownership rights argue that, in the right hands, guns reduce crime and save lives. Opponents allege that strict control is necessary to prevent access to high-powered guns that make it too easy for dangerous and perturbed individuals to kill innocent lives.
Gun ownership is a civil liberty protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution, so it's hard to strike a balance between this right and... (GunPolicy.org)
Hunters Under Fire: 109 Italians Shot, 35 Killed by Careless Sport Shooters
1 February 2011
Guardian (UK)
It is not just birds, rabbits and wild boar who meet a sticky end in the Italian hunting season.
According to statistics published today, 35 people have also been killed in the past four months, and another 74 injured. Italy's anti-hunting league, the LAC, said all but one were hunters killed accidentally by their shooting companions.
But the 35th victim was a mushroom collector shot dead near Arezzo in Tuscany. Of the injured, 13 were also non-hunters, mostly people... (GunPolicy.org)
Bedouin Boy Plays with Dad's Machine Gun, Kills Himself in Saudi Arabia
30 January 2011
Emirates247.com
A Saudi Bedouin boy killed himself by accident while playing with this father's machine gun, a newspaper reported on Sunday.
The boy was playing inside his father's car near their tent house in the southwestern desert village of Raniya when he saw the machine gun, Alriyadh Arabic language daily said.
"He mistakenly pulled the trigger while the gun was aimed at him… he died instantly and police later ruled out any criminal... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan President Tackles Problem of Celebratory Gunfire Deaths
27 January 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
South Sudan president, Salva Kiir Mayardit strongly warned members of the armed forces against celebratory gun-fire on the day of the announcement of the final referendum results, due on 14 February.
Kiir, also Sudan's first vice-president, urged these forces to protect peoples' lives and properties, just like they did during the one-week long referendum polling period, widely regarded as peaceful.
"Your excitement should not cause misery to yourselves and others. I... (GunPolicy.org)
Young Girl Plays with Dad's Hunting Gun, Shoots Grandma in Saudi Arabia
21 January 2011
Emirates247.com
A Saudi child accidentally shot her grandmother while she was playing with her father's hunting gun in the Gulf Kingdom, a newspaper reported on Friday.
The grandmother was rushed to hospital north of the central town of Taif with medium injuries and doctors later said she was in a stable condition after a surgery, the Arabic language daily Almadina said.
"The girl was playing with the gun when it went off and hit her grandmother at their house," the paper said... (GunPolicy.org)
Pennsylvania Cop Surrenders After Son, 5, Killed Himself With Police Pistol
20 January 2011
WTAE-TV News (Pennsylvania)
PITTSBURGH - A suburban police officer in Allegheny County surrendered Wednesday afternoon to face charges connected to the death of his young son, who investigators believe accidentally killed himself with the officer's gun.
John Thompson is a part-time police officer in the small southern borough of Liberty and a police officer in nearby Port Vue. He was arraigned on charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children,... (GunPolicy.org)
Charges Against 2 Remaining Defendants Dropped in US Uzi Death Case
18 January 2011
Associated Press
A Massachusetts prosecutor on Tuesday dropped involuntary manslaughter charges against two men in connection with the death of an 8-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself with an Uzi at a 2008 gun show, citing last week's acquittal of a third defendant.
Prosecutor William Bennett filed "nolle prosequi" - not prosecuting - motions in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield in the cases of Domenico Spano of New Milford, Conn., and Carl Giuffre of West Hartford,... (GunPolicy.org)
Ex-police Chief Acquitted in Machine Gun Shooting Death of 8yr-old Boy
15 January 2011
Boston Globe
The emotionally racked trial of a former Pelham police chief charged in connection with the accidental shooting death of an 8-year-old boy at a gun fair came to an end yesterday with a jury acquitting Edward Fleury, who cried at the verdict.
Fleury, 53, was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter and multiple counts of furnishing a machine gun to a minor. Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Conn., lost control of an Uzi submachine gun and shot himself in the head in... (GunPolicy.org)
Unintentional Gun Deaths Claim around 125 American Children Each Year
14 January 2011
Kansas City Star (Missouri), Column
Megan Reppond was smart, pretty and just 14 when they buried her a couple of weeks ago.
She was shot to death at a slumber party outside Neosho, Mo., two days after Christmas.
Except calling deaths like Megan's an "accident," as authorities have, is to downplay the culpability of the person who left a loaded .38-caliber pistol out — the safety off — where anyone could grab it.
That anyone was one of the three other girls Megan's age attending the slumber party... (GunPolicy.org)
US Police Chief Cleared in Fun Shoot Machine Gun Death of 8yr-old Boy
14 January 2011
BBC News
A Massachusetts jury has acquitted a man who organised a gun fair where a boy accidentally shot himself dead with an Uzi sub-machine gun.
Prosecutors said Edward Fleury, a former police chief, should have foreseen the risk in providing Christopher Bizilj, 8, with the gun.
He was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter after showing the boy's father allowed him to fire the weapon.
The boy lost control of the weapon, which flipped and shot him in the head.
Mr... (GunPolicy.org)
Ex-police Chief Found Not Guilty in Machine Gun Death of 8yr-old US Boy
14 January 2011
Reuters
Jurors reached an acquittal verdict on Friday in the trial of a former police chief in the accidental fatal shooting of an 8-year-old boy at an October 2008 event at Westfield Sportsman's Club.
The shooting event had been organized and sponsored by former Pelham police chief Edward D. Fleury, who had been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
The child, Christopher Bizilj, was killed instantly by a shot to his head while firing a 9mm micro Uzi submachine gun. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Hidden Pistol Owner Drops Gun, Shoots Woman in Texas Eatery
13 January 2011
KHOU-TV News (Houston)
HOUSTON – A gun discharged and injured a woman after a man accidentally dropped it Thursday inside a northeast Houston restaurant, police said.
The Derringer fell out of the coat pocket of a 66-year-old man at about 8:30 p.m. inside Raffa's Waterfront Grill on West Lake Houston Parkway, police said.
The 71-year-old woman was shot in the rear end and transported to Ben Taub Hospital in stable condition.
Police said the man was licensed to carry a concealed handgun... (GunPolicy.org)
Alabama Boy Wakes, Imagines His Cousin is a Burglar, Shoots Her Dead
12 January 2011
Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama) / AP
MOBILE - Authorities said it appears that an 18-year-old man accidentally shot his cousin thinking she was a burglar.
Mobile County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lori Myles told the Press-Register 26-year-old Joy Logan of Bay Minette was shot to death about 11:30 p.m. Monday.
Logan and her aunt were visiting a family member in the hospital. When it started to get late, the aunt told Logan to spend the night at the aunt's home. Logan took the key and went to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Massachusetts Machine Gun Fun Shoot was 'Safe,' But 8yr-old Boy Died
10 January 2011
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - A gun club where an 8-year-old boy accidentally killed himself with an Uzi first agreed to hold a machine gun shoot a decade ago when the organizer told club officials it was legal and safe, one of those officials testified Monday.
Steven Sklarski, recording secretary for the Westfield Sportsman's Club, testified on the fifth day of the manslaughter trial of former Pelham, Mass., Police Chief Edward Fleury.
The club had held the event for... (GunPolicy.org)
Trap Guns a Growing Threat to Human and Animal Life in Sri Lanka
10 January 2011
Guardian (Sri Lanka)
COLOMBO - A six year old girl was killed by a trap gun in front of her father in, Galagamuwa in Kurunegala district in early December, (Lankadeepa December 3rd 2010). The incident happened when the father was preparing the trap gun with his daughter looking on and it accidentally exploded. This was the latest death reported in the media related to the trap gun menace in Sri Lanka.
The same month a police sergeant was seriously injured with a trap gun when the teams of... (GunPolicy.org)
Wedding Guest Hit by Celebratory Gunfire, Jordanian Shooter Gets 5 Years
9 January 2011
Al Rai / Ghazi Mirrors
AMMAN - A Criminal Court on Sunday in its first ruling of its kind developed accused the oldest on the shots fired at a wedding I'm his sister, resulting in injury to an audience imprisonment with hard labor five years after the criminalization of a felony attempted murder of intent and in accordance with the provisions of Article 326 and 70 of the Penal Code and the terms of Article 67 of the law.
[Google translation]
Translated summary from IANSA Update, 13 Jan... (GunPolicy.org)
Teen Gun Supervisor Says He Warned Dad About Uzi Which Killed 8yr-old
7 January 2011
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts — A teenager who supervised an 8-year-old who shot himself with an Uzi submachine gun at a 2008 gun fair testified Friday that he told the boy's father that "it wasn't a good idea" to let the child fire it.
Michael Spano was a witness in the trial of Edward Fleury, whose company co-sponsored the exhibition at the Westfield Sportsman's Club. Fleury has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and other charges in the death of... (GunPolicy.org)
Father Testifies in US Submachine Gun Shooting That Killed His 8-year-old
6 January 2011
Boston Globe
A chilling video shown in Hampden Superior Court today captured the moment an 8-year-old boy from Connecticut fatally shot himself with an Uzi submachine gun at a 2008 gun show in western Massachusetts.
The video, which showed the boy squeezing the trigger and the automatic weapon suddenly tilting upward and then backward in his small hands before he apparently shot himself, elicited shrieks from shocked spectators in the courtroom and the jury box.
Christopher... (GunPolicy.org)
1000 Killed in 10 Years by Stray Bullets, Celebratory Shooting in Colombia
4 January 2011
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
Translated summary: 1000 people have been killed by stray bullets in the last 10 years in Colombia, according to CERAC, a Bogota-based NGO. Most of the stray bullets are fired during gun fights, but celebratory gun fire is also common during Christmas and New Year celebrations. Between December 2010 and January 2011, 70 adults and children were killed by stray bullets and over a hundred were injured in Colombia's biggest cities.
Murió niño herido en Año Nuevo.... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy, 10, Accused of Killing Mother With Christmas Present Rifle in Ohio
4 January 2011
Reuters
A 10-year-old US boy was being held in custody on Monday for allegedly shooting and killing his mother with a rifle he received as a Christmas present.
Deborah McVay, 46, was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head at her home in Big Prairie, Ohio on Sunday night, according to a statement from the Holmes County Sheriff's Office.
McVay's mother and the 10-year-old's grandmother, Beulah Mae Mike, said the .22 calibre rifle allegedly used in the shooting had... (GunPolicy.org)
Court: 'Reckless Behavior' Led to 8yr-old Boy's Uzi Death at US Fun Shoot
4 January 2011
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - "Reckless and illegal actions" by a former police chief led to the accidental death of a boy who shot himself in the face with an Uzi submachine gun at a gun show, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
But others, including the boy's father, made the fatal decisions, a defense attorney said.
Former Pelham Police Chief Edward Fleury, whose company co-sponsored the event, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and furnishing a weapon to a... (GunPolicy.org)
