Gun Policy News
Destruction of Illicit Firearms in Costa Rica
18 July 2018
The Costa Rica Star
The General Directorate of Armaments in Costa Rica has destroyed 191 firearms this month, firearms which had been used in various crimes including homicide, robbery, drug trafficking, and illegal arms possession and sale. The Guns destroyed included 133 short weapons and 58 long weapons which have been in custody since 2012 and were previously used as evidence in criminal proceedings. They had been confiscated by the OIJ during raids throughout Costa Rica.
How many... (GunPolicy.org)
India Developing a National Firearm Registration Database
17 July 2018
Xinhua
NEW DELHI -- India will have a national database for all licenced gun holders from April next year, the government said.
The Home Ministry said in a notification that the names of all licenced gun holders across the country will be included in the national database and they are also to be given a unique identification number (UIN) from the next financial year.
"Every licensing and renewing authority will have to enter the data in the National Database of Arms Licenses... (GunPolicy.org)
Would-be Murderer Granted Special Gun Training Permit Despite Red Flags
10 July 2018
Sydney Morning Herald
John Edwards, the man who shot his two children dead last Thursday, was able to pursue his handgun training because he was granted a so-called "Commissioner's Permit", overriding red flags raised by his answers on declarations about his background.
It is understood this permit reassured officials at the St Mary's Indoor Shooting Centre that Edwards could legally undergo handgun training - the first step towards getting a handgun licence and then a permit in NSW -... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Licensing Procedures in Review After Family Murder
9 July 2018
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
GUN clubs may be asked to report suspect shooters and GPs permitted to break client confidentiality to stop a repeat of an incident like John Edwards' savage slaying of his children.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Police Commissioner Mick Fuller and Police Minister Troy Grant are holding crisis meetings today and "everything is on the table", including working more closely with the Family Court where children are identified as at risk.
Edwards, 67, was turned away... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Vetting Process in Question After Family Murder
9 July 2018
Australian (Sydney)
The man who shot his two teenage children dead before killing himself in Sydney's northwest last week would have been individually interviewed several times to get two "quite powerful" handguns, experts say, as the NSW Police Minister comes under pressure to review gun control laws.
John Edwards would have been interviewed by a shooting club, a pistol club and police before he could buy the two firearms he used in last Thursday's attack, in which the 67-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
Samoan Police to Destroy 300 Guns
5 July 2018
Samoa Observer
The police will destroy close to 300 illegal firearms that they recovered during their operations.
Commissioner Fuiavailiili Egon Keil said questions remain on how the firearms were brought into the country as Samoa does not manufacture weapons or ammunition.
"This coming Thursday (today) at the police headquarter at 10 o'clock we have little less than 300 firearms that we will be destroying, just like what we did back in 2015. So these weapons will be destroyed... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Homemade Guns Collected by Vietnamese Authorities
5 July 2018
Thanh Nien
In recent years, Quang Nam has had many traumatic accidents, affecting the lives and health of its citizens due to homemade guns.
4 July 2018 - the Police Department of Public Administration (PC64) in Quang Nam province handed over a large amount of weapons and dangerous objects to the Department of Police - Technical Security of the province for destruction.
Included are: 1,139 alcohol/air guns, 272 homemade guns, 54 military guns, 63 knives, 289 parts and... (GunPolicy.org)
238,700 People Carrying Firearm Licences in NZ
16 June 2018
Stuff (New Zealand)
A lobby group is arguing there is a "cascade of failure" in controlling gun control in New Zealand.
Mike Loder, from Shooters Lottery, says the biggest step police should take to reduce the number of cases of criminals pulling guns on cops is to tackle recidivism.
Data from the Ministry of Justice showed since the 1980s, 51 offenders had been convicted for two or more offences for use of a firearm against law enforcement officer.
Between 2016 and 2017, 368 people... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Disposal Issues in Bougainville
6 June 2018
Post-Courier (Port Moresby)
The non-disposal of all weapons on Bougainville may be the only major obstacle in the 2019 Bougainville referendum.
This means if all weapons are not completely destroyed or accounted for, which allegedly poses a threat, the referendum will not go ahead.
This was highlighted during the Bougainville referendum three-day conference in Port Moresby yesterday.
Serious issues confronting Bougainville's journey to referendum on independence also took precedence at the... (GunPolicy.org)
The Origins of Illegal Firearms in the UK - BBC Reality Check
10 May 2018
BBC News
Over the bank holiday weekend, a spate of shootings across England hit the headlines. They add to a picture of rising gun crime, after more than a decade of big decreases.
Although gun-related offences have risen for the past four years, there were still less than half as many gun crimes in England and Wales last year as there were in the early 2000s.
Where Do the Guns Come From?
Guns are very tightly controlled in the UK. Those that end up on the black market often... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggled Military Weapons Seized Near Thai-Cambodian Border
18 April 2018
Nation (Bangkok)
Thai authorities have arrested a man suspected of smuggling illegal weapons from Cambodia to Thailand, according to Cambodian National Police.
On Tuesday night, Thai authorities intercepted a vehicle at a checkpoint in Klaing Yai district, in Thailand's Trat province, about 50 kilometres from Cambodia's Cham Yeam checkpoint, a Cambodian National Police website announcement reads.
The weapons seized included two that appear to be Chinese-made Type-95 assault rifles,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Theft in Australia - ABC News
9 April 2018
ABC News (Australia)
The number of firearms stolen across Australia has almost doubled in the past decade, according to new figures.
The data, obtained by lobby group Gun Control Australia (GCA) under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, reveal that almost 27,000 firearms have been reported as stolen across the country between 2007 and 2017.
The figures show that the number of gun thefts has increased from just over 1,700 in 2007-8 to nearly 3,300 in 2016-17.
Hunting rifles account for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Gun Laws Can't Work in America – For Now
30 March 2018
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
Thirteen mass shootings in 18 years, 112 victims shot dead. While this may seem to describe contemporary America, it actually describes a late 20th-century period in Australia. The country's final slaughter occurred in Tasmania in 1996 – the Port Arthur massacre. A lone, "pathetic social misfit" – as described by the judge – killed 35 people. The first 29 bullets from this young man's AR-15 rifle ended the lives of 20 innocents in just 90 seconds.
For... (GunPolicy.org)
Repeal the Second Amendment - John Paul Stevens
27 March 2018
New York Times, Opinion
Rarely in my lifetime have I seen the type of civic engagement schoolchildren and their supporters demonstrated in Washington and other major cities throughout the country this past Saturday. These demonstrations demand our respect. They reveal the broad public support for legislation to minimize the risk of mass killings of schoolchildren and others in our society.
That support is a clear sign to lawmakers to enact legislation prohibiting civilian ownership of... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Laws and Ownership in Italy
23 March 2018
Local (Italy)
Italians do not have a fundamental right to bear arms, and there are tough laws regulating both ownership and use of guns in the country.
Before buying a gun, you first need to get a gun purchasing licence ( Licenza di porto d'armi o Nulla osta) -- this is also necessary if you inherit or are given a weapon. To be eligible, you must be over 18, have a certificate from a shooting range to prove you can safely use the firearm, have a clean criminal record, and state that... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Laws Successful, Study Finds
13 March 2018
Australian (Sydney)
The gun laws enacted after the Port Arthur Massacre have unequivocally prevented mass shootings, a new study says.
The National Firearms Agreement was enacted after the 1996 tragedy in which 35 people were killed. The legislation included uniform gun registration, banned private gun sales and civilian ownership of semiautomatic weapons, removed self-defence as a reason to hold a firearm license and standardised penalties.
The University of Sydney study analysed... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Gun Destruction Prevented 16 Mass Shootings - Study
13 March 2018
Annals of Internal Medicine
Background: In 1996, after the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, the National Firearms Agreement was enacted across Australia. Provisions included uniform gun registration, repudiation of self-defense as a legitimate reason to hold a firearm licence, locked storage, a ban on private gun sales and civilian ownership of semiautomatic rifles and pump-action shotguns, and standardized penalties (1). Two buyback programs and 26 uncompensated amnesties between 1996 and 2015... (GunPolicy.org)
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How to Buy a Gun in 15 Countries
2 March 2018
New York Times
Many Americans can buy a gun in less than an hour. The process takes months in some countries. Here are the basic steps for how most people buy a gun in 15 of them. Many countries have exceptions for specialized professions, and local laws vary.
United States
1) Pass an instant background check that considers criminal convictions, domestic violence and immigration status.
2) Buy a gun. Many states have additional buying restrictions, including waiting periods and... (GunPolicy.org)
How South Korea Got Rid of Its Gun Problem
27 February 2018
Korea Exposé
In the aftermath of yet another mass shooting in the United States, international and domestic media have published articles touting South Korea as a model of gun regulation. But contrary to popular belief, freedom from gun violence is a relatively new development in the country.
It's true that South Korea is a good place to visit these days if you're trying to avoid guns. According to the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), there were just five gun homicides in... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Underground Gun Problem: Hundreds Seized
26 February 2018
Australian Associated Press
- 869 illegal guns have been seized by Queensland police ahead of the Games
- The majority of the guns had been stolen from licensed gun owners
- 440 charges have been laid as a result, including drug trafficking and theft
- In some cases thieves are breaking down walls of houses to get to gun safes
Almost 900 weapons have been seized in Queensland this month as police attempt to reduce the number of illegal firearms and related offences ahead of the Commonwealth... (GunPolicy.org)
