Gun Policy News
Gun death, injury and violence in mass media
Gun Trafficking from US to UK Increasing
12 August 2020
New York Times
Handguns are quietly being smuggled into Britain, despite tough gun-control laws. The police fear that the illegal weapons are contributing to a rise in gang-related crime.
NORTHAMPTON, England — Josh Bains was 28 when he was killed after an argument over a drug debt of about $50 just a few miles from the English village where he grew up — with a gun that had traveled thousands of miles from America.
His was one of a rising number of gun deaths in recent years... (GunPolicy.org)
'Gaps in the system': Move to overhaul paper-based gun licensing system
16 July 2020
Sydney Morning Herald
Criminals are exploiting gaps and inconsistencies in the gun licensing systems of different states and territories to funnel legal firearms into the black market, illegally dispose of guns and move their licences to other states without immediate detection.
Gun owners who lose their licence are also registering their firearms in other states - without any red flags initially being raised - because some states and territories are still operating on largely paper-based... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Bans Civilian Ownership of Assault Weapons After Mass Shooting
1 May 2020
New York Times
Nearly two weeks after the deadliest mass shooting in Canada's history, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday introduced an immediate ban on what he described as "military-style assault weapons."
"These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time," Mr. Trudeau said. "There is no use and no place for such weapons in Canada."
The ban means that Canadians will no longer be able to own... (GunPolicy.org)
Pandemic Fears Cause Spike in U.S. Gun Sales
1 April 2020
New York Times
Americans bought about two million guns in March, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. It was the second-busiest month ever for gun sales, trailing only January 2013, just after President Barack Obama's re-election and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
With some people fearful that the pandemic could lead to civil unrest, gun sales have been skyrocketing. In the past, fear of gun-buying restrictions has been the main driver of spikes... (GunPolicy.org)
Hungarian Gun Purchases Increase due to Pandemic Fears
23 March 2020
Reuters
Peter Rostas doesn't want to have any reason to use the gun he was buying, but the young Hungarian father of one was taking no chances with a coronavirus epidemic he fears may bring out the worst in some people.
"It's a precautionary measure," Rostas, 33, said as he lined up outside a small Budapest shop selling non-military grade weapons that require no license. "I'd rather be laughing later than find myself in a conflict with nothing but a broomstick."
Hungarians... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Firearm Registry 'Crucial' to Any Gun Law Reform
3 March 2020
Newsroom
Since countries the world over began regulating firearm ownership in the 19th century, there have been three central pillars of gun control policy common to almost every nation: seeing ownership as a privilege instead of a right, a licensing system for owners, and a registry of weapons.
New Zealand never followed through with all three. While no judge in the country would ever overturn precedent to insist firearm ownership is a right, the nation has generally had... (GunPolicy.org)
GunPolicy Director on Proposed Firearms Registry in New Zealand
28 February 2020
New Zealand Herald
Gun owners decrying law reforms are selfish by putting personal inconveniences above public safety, a gun safety expert says.
And Philip Alpers, who used to host TV show Fair Go and is now a public health expert, supports a national gun register because he believes it would make the biggest improvement to community safety.
A bill that would set up a register, among other things, is currently passing through Parliament and its passage might depend on NZ First, which is... (GunPolicy.org)
Fake News Invokes Ammunition Sales to Fijians of Indian Descent
19 February 2020
Fiji Village
R. C. Manubhai and Company Pte Ltd has labelled fake news spread by Facebook trolls claiming that "Indo-Fijians are buying ammunition to go to war with the iTaukei", as a sick attempt to incite fear and hate.
R.C. Manubhai has clarified that they import hunting grade ammunition which is provided to licensed farmers who hunt pigeons, wild pigs and wild dogs.
Company Director, Bhavesh Kumar says it is quite sad that Facebook trolls have decided to spread this fake news... (GunPolicy.org)
The Gun Culture Underlying Thailand's First Mass Shooting
19 February 2020
Reuters
Normally serene Thailand has been on edge since a rogue soldier went on the rampage in a northeastern city this month, killing 29 people in a shooting spree that ended in a standoff with police at a shopping mall.
Ten days later, a man walked into a clinic in a busy Bangkok shopping mall and gunned down his ex-wife before fleeing the scene. He was later arrested.
The killings, along with several other high-profile gun crimes, have called attention to the high rate of... (GunPolicy.org)
Aftermath of Thailand's Worst Mass Shooting
17 February 2020
al Jazeera
Korat, Thailand - The day of horror started like any other Saturday for Tanatit, "Tok", 43, a moto-taxi driver who works in front of Nakhon Ratchasima's Terminal 21 shopping centre.
He was sitting with a group of other riders - making light of another busy day - chatting, laughing between rides. The men could not have known they were about to witness a massacre.
"He just walked up and started shooting. He killed two people right here," Tok told Al Jazeera, pointing to... (GunPolicy.org)
The Underlying Trends of the Korat Mall Massacre
17 February 2020
Channel News Asia
BANGKOK: The mass shooting at the Terminal 21 mall in Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima (or Korat) over the weekend is unprecedented in Thailand.
It raises serious questions about the security of arms in the Royal Thai Armed Forces. It also sheds light on corruption in the armed forces and on Thailand's gun culture in general.
The assailant killed at least 29, including civilians, soldiers and police responders and wounded scores more with a staggering amount of firepower... (GunPolicy.org)
Business Spat Behind Mass Shooting
10 February 2020
New York Times
BANGKOK — Thailand's army commander said Tuesday the soldier who killed 29 people in a shooting rampage had not been treated fairly in a land deal involving his commander and such arrangements would have to be halted.
The gunman killed his superior officer and the officer's mother-in-law, stole weapons and a vehicle and headed to a popular shopping mall in a northeastern city where he holed up for hours before security officers killed him.
Gen. Apirat Kongsompong... (GunPolicy.org)
Stockpile Security Lapses in Thai Mass Shooting
10 February 2020
Voice of America
NAKHON RATCHASIMA, THAILAND - It's still unclear how a Thai soldier managed to steal heavy weapons from an army base which he then used to kill 29 people and hold off security forces for almost 16 hours while he was holed up in a popular shopping mall.
That he could is less surprising, say experts in military matters.
The question has a special sting because the country's tough-talking army commander just a few weeks ago gave a high-profile interview in which he said... (GunPolicy.org)
Thai Soldier Kills 29 in Mall Mass Shooting
9 February 2020
New York Times
KORAT, Thailand — The authorities killed the gunman near the cold storage refrigerators of the Foodland supermarket in the mall he terrorized during Thailand's deadliest mass shooting.
It was just before 9 local time on Sunday morning — 18 hours after he fired the first shots in a relentless spree that left at least 29 people dead and 58 injured in the city of Korat, northeast of Bangkok.
Thailand's prime minister said the rampage started with a real estate... (GunPolicy.org)
At least 20 Dead in Thai Mall Mass Shooting
8 February 2020
Washington Post
BANGKOK — A Thai soldier rampaged through a bustling shopping mall and a nearby army camp on Saturday afternoon, killing at least 20 people, authorities said, in a shooting he partly live-streamed on Facebook.
The chaotic violence triggered a tense standoff with the gunman, who was holed up in the mall into the early morning darkness. The alleged shooter, toting an assault rifle and clad in camouflage and a helmet, was identified by authorities as 32-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
Chinese Arms Smuggled to Myanmar Armed Groups Via Laos
28 January 2020
Asia Times
In recent months, Asian intelligence officials and well-placed ethnic sources have confirmed to Asia Times that much of the Chinese weaponry purchased by the UWSA [United Wa State Army] since 2011 has been channeled through neighboring Laos.
Official end-user certificates (EUCs) issued to cover exports by state-run manufacturers such as North China Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO) and China National Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (responsible for... (GunPolicy.org)
Ethiopia Passes New Gun Law to Combat Ethnic Violence
9 January 2020
Reuters
ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia's parliament passed legislation on Thursday aimed at curbing gun ownership after a surge in regional ethnic violence blamed on a proliferation of small arms in private hands.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government said last April that it had seized 21 machine guns, more than 33,000 handguns, 275 rifles and 300,000 bullets in different parts of the Horn of Africa country over the previous year.
In October security forces confiscated a further... (GunPolicy.org)
Select US Gun Violence Statistics
27 December 2019
The Trace (USA)
- 26 percent: The increase in intimate partner homicides by shooting since 2010[…]
- $911 million: The annual cost of gun injury hospitalization[…]
- 30 percent: The share of firearms recovered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in California that are unserialized ghost guns[…]
- 3.3m? 8.5m? 17.7m? The hard-to-quantify number of assault weapons in... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Ban on Most Semiautomatic Weapons Takes Effect
20 December 2019
New York Times
A sweeping nationwide ban on most semiautomatic weapons took effect in New Zealand on Saturday, as a monthslong gun buyback and amnesty program ended amid debate over its success.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had announced a temporary ban just days after a terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch in March that left 51 people dead and was streamed live on Facebook. Weeks later, all but one of Parliament's 120 lawmakers voted to make the ban permanent. It outlaws... (GunPolicy.org)
Bougainville Secures Strong Independence in Referendum
11 December 2019
New York Times
SYDNEY, Australia — The region of Bougainville, a collection of islands in the South Pacific, has voted overwhelmingly to become independent from Papua New Guinea, aiming to become the world's newest nation.
In a referendum linked to a peace agreement that ended a civil war between separatists and Papua New Guinea security forces nearly 20 years ago, nearly 98 percent of those who voted supported becoming an independent nation.
Excited voters gathered in Buka to... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Firearms, 'Ghost Guns' and Crime in the US
5 December 2019
The Trace
What exactly is a ghost gun?
The term "ghost gun" is used by media, police, and sometimes the firearms industry to describe homemade weapons devoid of serial numbers or other identifying markings that enable them to be tracked to their maker, seller, or original owner.
For years, law enforcement authorities referred to these weapons as simply "homemade" guns or "kit" guns. "Ghost gun" is a relatively new term.
How are ghost guns made?
A variety of ways.
The most... (GunPolicy.org)
PNG Gun Dealer's Licence Cancelled for False Declarations
22 November 2019
Post-Courier (Port Moresby)
Acting Police Commissioner David Manning has cancelled a PNG dealer's license [sic] for making false declarations in the end user certificate.
Documents held by the Royal PNG Constabulary indicated that the PNG firearms dealer had imported high powered firearms specifically for the exclusive use of the Royal PNG Constabulary and not for sale or transfer to a third party.
However, a review recently carried out by the Royal PNG Constabulary and international partner... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Police Destroy 20,000 Collected Firearms
4 November 2019
The South African
The last national firearm destruction took place on the 17th of April 2019 wherein over 30 000 firearms were destroyed.
The South African Police Service plans to destroy 20 000 firearms on Tuesday morning by melting them, police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili has announced. The destruction will take place in Vereeniging, Gauteng.
The firearms were seized by, surrendered to and forfeited to the state.
"To stamp the authority of the State the police have to... (GunPolicy.org)
Next Phase of NZ Gun Reform to Include Revival of Firearm Registry
14 October 2019
The Conversation
Following the Christchurch mosque shootings, the New Zealand government's first response was to ban the firearms the alleged gunman had used to murder 51 people.
Seven months later, the second tranche of this process is underway. This new law which emphasises that the possession and use of firearms is a privilege (as opposed to a legal right), aims to ensure that people in lawful possession of their firearms act responsibly in the interests of personal and public... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting in Sydney Raises Questions About Gun Control
2 October 2019
New York Times
SYDNEY, Australia — A gunman was shot dead by the police on Wednesday after an hourlong shooting spree across western Sydney that targeted a home and two police stations.
The police said the man, firing a shotgun in the middle of a busy suburb, wounded several officers, including one who suffered a head injury.
The shooting comes at a time of rising concern among gun control advocates in Australia who have been arguing for years that the country's strict gun laws... (GunPolicy.org)
Colt Will No Longer Sell Assault Rifles to Civilians
19 September 2019
Colt News
WEST HARTFORD, Connecticut – There have been numerous articles recently published about Colt's participation in the commercial rifle market. Some of these articles have incorrectly stated or implied that Colt is not committed to the consumer market. We want to assure you that Colt is committed to the Second Amendment, highly values its customers and continues to manufacture the world's finest quality firearms for the consumer market.
The fact of the matter is that... (GunPolicy.org)
38 Firearms Seized by Northern Territory Police
5 September 2019
ABC News (Australia)
A banned shotgun, a silencer and a 95-year-old pistol once owned by a legendary novelist have all been hauled in during a gun blitz by the Northern Territory Police.
Officers from the NT's Firearms Policy and Recording Unit last week seized 38 firearms from across the NT.
"A male will be facing charges of possessing a silencer, as well as importation offences for bringing that item into the country," said Senior Sergeant Drew Slape.
"People buy silencers generally... (GunPolicy.org)
Bygone US Assault Weapon Ban Was Effective
4 September 2019
New York Times, Blog
Recent mass shootings have revived demands for meaningful gun control. But many opponents of a renewed federal ban on assault weapons, led by the National Rifle Association, say the earlier ban, from 1994 to 2004, made no difference. Our new research shows otherwise.
We found that public mass shootings — which we defined as incidents in which a gunman killed at least six people in public — dropped during the decade of the federal ban. Yet, in the 15 years since the... (GunPolicy.org)
Survey Reveals a Third of NZ Gun Owners Distrust Gun Lobby
13 August 2019
The Conversation
The terrorist attacks on the Christchurch Muslim community on 15 March this year resulted in a political response that was decidedly different from what usually follows mass shootings in the United States.
The speed of legislative action, banning military-style semi-automatic weapons (MSSAs) within days of the attack, was remarked on both at home and around the world. Some gun owners began handing over their MSSAs to police voluntarily after the attacks, and hundreds... (GunPolicy.org)
South Australia Police Seize Over 238 Firearms in One Haul
5 August 2019
ABC News (Australia)
Police say a three-day search of secret rooms in an Adelaide Hills property has uncovered more than 200 illegal weapons, including an assault rifle "very similar" to the one used in the Texas mass shooting.
SA Police said officers from the Firearms Branch and Eastern Adelaide detectives searched the property just after 5:30 pm on Friday.
They said they found illegal reloading equipment, throwing knives, daggers, bayonets and military ammunition.
Some of the guns and... (GunPolicy.org)
John Howard Rejects NRA Criticism of Australian Gun Laws
31 July 2019
Sydney Morning Herald / The Age
John Howard has rejected claims by the new president of America's National Rifle Association that the gun law reforms that he championed as prime minster after the Port Arthur massacre are ineffective and unpopular.
"I was in Australia not long after the tragedy in 1996 that led to that nation's repressive gun-control laws. In looking back, we must be careful to isolate and weigh the facts," Carolyn Meadows wrote in her column for the NRA's official gun rights journal... (GunPolicy.org)
Punjab Gun Applicants Required to Plant 10 Trees
30 July 2019
CNN
Indian officials have launched a creative new initiative to boost the number of trees in a Punjab state district, requiring all prospective gun owners to plant 10 tree saplings before their application will be considered.
Potential applicants in Ferozepur district will each have to plant 10 saplings and take selfies with them, which they must show to authorities when they go to pick up gun license application forms.
A month later, they need to once again take... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Begins Buy-back of Assault Weapons
20 June 2019
Reuters
WELLINGTON - New Zealand's government on Thursday launched a multimillion-dollar, six-month "buy-back" scheme to compensate owners of powerful but newly banned semi-automatic weapons prohibited in the wake of deadly attacks on two mosques in the Southern city of Christchurch.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Minister of Police Stuart Nash said in a joint emailed statement that NZ$208 million ($135.97 million) had been set aside to compensate owners of the banned... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Secrecy and Tracking Illicit Firearms
14 June 2019
ABC News (Australia)
How did the accused Darwin gunman, parolee Ben Hoffmann, get his hands on a shotgun and allegedly kill four people?
Likely with relative ease — according to the public health professor behind the world's largest catalogue of evidence on gun violence, firearm law and gun control.
The 12-gauge pump action shotgun was seized at the time of Hoffman's arrest, and police later confirmed its serial number matched a weapon stolen in 1997.
That scenario — a long-armed... (GunPolicy.org)
9 June 2019
Bangkok Post
"If you have a gun, shoot me," shouted Preecha Kunthong before he was hit with several bullets between the eyes and killed on May 19 in Saraburi's Muang district while buying a packet of instant coffee.
The 59-year-old man, who had that morning gone to breakfast with a friend at the local market, allegedly fell into an argument with the shooter as he stood in line at a convenience store opposite Saraburi Hospital.
This story isn't an unusual one in the country with... (GunPolicy.org)
Darwin Mass Shooter Claims Mental Health Issues
7 June 2019
Guardian
The man accused of the Northern Territory's worst mass shooting has told a Darwin court he is "very sorry about what happened".
Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann, 45, faced Darwin local court on Friday for the first time since being charged with murder over Tuesday night's rampage that killed four men.
The heavily tattooed Hoffmann appeared via video link from Darwin prison in a red T-shirt and white football shorts. He looked distressed and gaunt and appeared to have numerous... (GunPolicy.org)
Victim of Darwin Mass Shooting Didn't Know the Shooter
5 June 2019
Guardian
Details of the victims of a mass shooting in Darwin have been revealed as Northern Territory police say they expect to soon lay charges against the alleged gunman.
One of the victims, a PhD student and taxi driver Hassan Baydoun, had never met the accused gunman, his cousin says.
Baydoun had been driving his taxi but returned home to his studio apartment in McMinn Street on Tuesday evening for a meal break.
He was there at the time the gunman was going from room to... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Shotgun Used in Darwin Mass Shooting
5 June 2019
BBC News
A man alleged to have killed four people and injured another in the Australian city of Darwin used an illegal pump-action shotgun, police say.
The 45-year-old suspect, known to police, was arrested about an hour after the first shots were fired on Tuesday.
Police said he carried out attacks at several locations and may have been searching for a "specific individual".
It was not terror-related, they added.
Authorities have not identified the victims nor the... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Referendum Background
20 May 2019
EuroNews
Switzerland — one of the most heavily armed countries in Europe — voted to comply with stricter European Union gun laws in a referendum Sunday.
While Switzerland doesn't belong to the EU, it is part of the bloc's Schengen Area which is a zone that can be visited without a visa or passport by citizens of 26 European nations.
Following terrorist gun attacks in Paris and Brussels in 2015 and 2016, the EU tightened gun rules, known as the "EU Gun Ban", the bloc... (GunPolicy.org)
WA Police Firearms Database Riddled With Issues
17 May 2019
iTnews
Western Australia's firearms database has been roundly criticised by the state's auditor for containing significant data integrity issues that impede the regulation of guns in the community .
The Firearm Controls Audit Report [pdf], released by auditor-general Caroline Spencer on Wednesday, reveals "control and functionality weaknesses" with the state's licensing and registry (L&R) information system.
The relatively new system used to asses some 10,500 firearm licence... (GunPolicy.org)
PM Ardern on Gun Control in US and NZ
15 May 2019
Washington Post
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke out this week about a matter that has long puzzled many foreign observers of the United States: the country's inability to rein in gun violence.
Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, the prime minister said: "Australia experienced a massacre and changed their laws. New Zealand had its experience and changed its laws. To be honest with you, I do not understand the United States."
Ardern was referring both to a 1996... (GunPolicy.org)
Ex-Firearm Dealer Gets 11 Years for Smuggling 'Mass Kill' Guns
14 May 2019
Australian Associated Press
A Victorian man who imported "mass killing machines" has had years added to his prison sentence after an appeal.
Paul Robert Munro, 65, was originally ordered to serve at least six years behind bars for importing a dozen Thureon machine guns, capable of firing 1000 rounds a minute.
But on Tuesday the Court of Appeal revealed it had increased his non-parole period to 11 years.
The maximum 10-year sentence handed down by the County Court last May was also increased to... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Violence in Homicide Report Database
13 May 2019
Stuff (New Zealand)
An unprecedented Stuff investigation has identified every homicide in New Zealand in the past 15 years, revealing the vast majority of those who kill with guns are unlicensed and their weapon of choice is often a .22 calibre rifle or shotgun.
The Homicide Report, which has been nearly three years in the making, is the country's first publicly searchable database of homicides. It encompasses 1068 men, women and children killed from January 2004 to March 31, 2019.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
1 May 2019
Stuff (New Zealand)
The Homicide Report relies on information from more than 800 coronial findings, hundreds of court documents, police sources and news stories from Stuff's archives.
We categorised each case according to the victim's age and gender, their relationship to the killer, cause of death, location and a host of others.
We then analysed them to look for significant groupings of homicides with similar characteristics that might reveal some underlying problem or cause.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Trump ATT Decision Was Built On an NRA Lie
29 April 2019
Washington Post, Opinion
President Trump announced on Friday — during a speech that pandered to special-interest groups and was symbolic of his administration's disdain for multilateral agreements — that the United States would "unsign" the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a landmark agreement that regulates the international trade in conventional arms.
It took more than five years of negotiations to develop the ATT, and I spent those years as a consultant in the treaty process, working with... (GunPolicy.org)
Unclear Statistics as Guns Become Tougher to Obtain in Hungary
25 April 2019
Nepszava
According to experts, the number of official gun owners is greatly exaggerated, but more people are illegally possessing rifles, pistols, and other items.
Firearm abuses are not common in Hungary, and even in recent days, armed mischief involving airsoft rifles is a rarity. However, weapons are a serious risk and their records must be up-to-date, accurate and unmistakable even in peaceful times. In Hungary, however, there is complete confusion in armament statistics.... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Australians Enrolled to Vote This Election
23 April 2019
SBS News
A record number of Australians have enrolled to vote at the 18 May federal election, according to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
The total of 16,424,248 people, which accounts for 96.8 per cent of the eligible voting population, tops the number of people enrolled to vote ahead of the 2016 federal election by around 750,000.
Those numbers are "something all Australians can be proud of" and is unlikely to be matched anywhere in the world, Electoral... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Destroy Over 30,000 Collected Firearms
17 April 2019
Sunday Times (South Africa)
More than 30,000 firearms were destroyed by the police in Gauteng on Wednesday.
The firearms marked for destruction, at steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal in Vereeniging, had all been "seized, surrendered or forfeited" to the state, said police.
Police minister Bheki Cele was present and said: "Most of the firearms here today were surrendered. It is quite a period since we last destroyed firearms - it last happened late in 2016."
He said around two-thirds of the... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Dealer Accused of Trafficking
11 April 2019
Sporting Shooter / SSAA
Shane Simpson, gun shop owner and presenter on Hunting The Menu, is accused of being a major underworld weapons supplier and of selling firearms used in crimes across Australia, including the executions of two of Sydney highest-ranking organised crime figures.
The Daily Telegraph reported police allege arms dealer Shane James Simpson operated out of a gun shop in Port Kembla near Wollongong and sold guns which were used in the murders of two of Sydney's most... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Firearms Dealer Charged, Hundreds of Guns Seized
11 April 2019
ABC News (Australia)
Key points:
- NSW Police seize 300 firearms from licensed gun dealer, who has been charged with 40 offences
- Dealer accused of being a 'professional facilitator' of organised crime networks across three states
- Accused has not applied for bail or entered a plea in court
A licensed firearms dealer in New South Wales has been charged with more than 40 firearms offences and had more than 300 guns seized from his business in what NSW Police have described as one of the... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Gun Dealer Arrested for Selling Guns Illegally
10 April 2019
Illawarra Mercury
A Port Kembla firearms dealer has been arrested, and more than 300 weapons seized from his business, after he allegedly sold guns police say were used to shoot dead at least one Sydney underworld figure.
Shane Simpson was taken into custody after officers raided his firearms and hunting store - Simpson Sports, on the corner of Wentworth and Fitzwilliam streets - about 8.30am on Wednesday.
The Mercury understands police arrested the 46-year-old licensed firearms dealer... (GunPolicy.org)
Public Health Response to Suicide In Japan Leads to Decrease
8 April 2019
Reuters
AKITA, Japan - Taeko Watanabe awoke one cold March night and found a trail of blood in the hallway, a bloody cleaver on her son Yuki's bed and no trace of him in the house. Then police discovered a suicide note in his bedroom.
"They found him in a canal by the temple and wrapped him in a blanket. After an autopsy, he came home in a coffin. I fell apart," she recalled, eyes welling up as she sat by a photo of Yuki and a Buddhist altar laden with flowers and Fuji... (GunPolicy.org)
Poor Data Collation of National Registries in Australia
3 April 2019
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
When I was tiny I wore a rabbit-skin coat and ate rabbit two or three times a week, courtesy of my father and his 22-calibre hunting rifle.
My parents had gone back to the land in that 1970s idealistic way and we lived in a log cabin - hand built by Dad - surrounded by scrubby bushland in the hinterland of the NSW south coast.
Later when my parents went their separate ways and moved back to the city, Dad's gun came with him.
The wooden rifle sat propped against the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Law Change Fast-track has 'Outpaced' Gun Lobby
2 April 2019
Radio New Zealand
The speed with which the government has fast-tracked changes to firearms laws has left the gun lobby in a spin, according to an Australian academic.
By the end of next week, politicians expect the Arms Amendment Bill to come into force.
It will ban semi-automatic weapons and military style semi-automatics, with the exception of shotguns and low-calibre rifles.
Parts, magazines and ammunition which can make a gun illegal will also be banned, and there will be tougher... (GunPolicy.org)
No Other Party Has Hammered Our Gun Laws Like This One
1 April 2019
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
Last Friday the leader of the Shooter, Fishers and Farmers Party, Robert Borsak, headed a press conference seeking to distance his party from One Nation. Borsak claimed his parties' gun policies are not as extreme as One Nation's and are more "dead centre".
Yet one only has to look at the impact the party has had on Australia's gun laws and the party's current and past gun policies to see that a different story emerges. In October 2017, Borsak told the Herald that he... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Guns and Homicides in Uganda
30 March 2019
Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Kampala- At least 16 people have been shot dead by licensed guns since the start of the year, a search through publicly available information shows.
Five of the victims were shot dead by security guards after they were involved in arguments with the guards or were accused of committing crime, while the rest were killed by policemen on accusations of being criminal suspects.
With the killing in cold blood of Ronald Ssebulime last weekend still fresh, however, it is... (GunPolicy.org)
Consensus on New Zealand Gun Control
29 March 2019
Policy Forum (Canberra)
In the wake of the worst terror attack in New Zealand's history, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has shown outstanding leadership on gun control, building a consensus for reasonable reform that other leaders have much to learn from, Michael Picard writes.
New Zealand's response to the Christchurch mass-shooting shows that a country can find unity, rather than division, on gun reform. Strong and definitive leadership, a balanced approach to reforming gun laws, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture and Data in Thailand
12 March 2019
Channel News Asia (Singapore)
Gun homicides in Thailand are striking. To prevent them we should look beyond the numbers and headlines at what is fuelling these incidents, says research director for the University of Sydney's Gunpolicy.org, Michael Picard.
BANGKOK: Thailand arguably has a gun problem, but sensational headlines about the country being a regional, even global, leader of gun violence are misleading and dubious.
Though it's difficult to know the extent of the issue for sure, both... (GunPolicy.org)
Jordan Promotes Gun Control Law
3 March 2019
MediaLine
King said to be concerned by festive firing at celebrations, but others cite terrorism
Members of Jordan's lower house are working to push forward a bill that would prevent citizens from purchasing automatic or semi-automatic firearms, even if they are to be used for hunting. The legislation does not grandfather in those who already own such weapons, forcing people with legal permits to hand them over to the authorities.
It is said that a big reason for this reform... (GunPolicy.org)
More Officers Support Arming New Zealand Police
3 March 2019
Radio New Zealand
More and more police are in support of arming their own, Police Association figures show.
Sixty-six percent of assocation members supported general arming in a 2017 survey, up 6 percent on 2015 and up 18 percent on 2008, when only 48 percent of police employees were in favour.
Christchurch police have announced frontline staff will remain armed until a wanted man is found. Police Association president Chris Cahill earlier said their arming could spell the beginning of... (GunPolicy.org)
Short-comings Identified in NSW Police Gun Registry
28 February 2019
Guardian
The New South Wales firearms registry has "critical gaps" in its ability to track the location of guns in the state and the agency lacks the "appropriate policies and guidance" to make decisions such as suspending licences.
The state's auditor general has released a damning review of the gun control agency, finding significant shortcomings in its capacity to police firearms.
Released on Thursday, Margaret Crawford's report found that in some cases address details of... (GunPolicy.org)
Results of WA Gun Control Campaign
3 January 2019
West Australian (Perth)
Close to 7 per cent of WA gun owners targeted in a six-week operation recently were pinged by police for allegedly not storing guns properly.
Police charged 185 gun owners with non-compliance offences out of 2710 addresses checked, with officers alarmingly finding 26 firearms had been lost or stolen. About 400 firearms, including 28 handguns, were seized.
Seventy-two people were charged with 320 unrelated offences. Operation Bluesun Commander Jo McCabe said she was... (GunPolicy.org)
Tasmanian Gun Dealer Charged With Gun Trafficking
4 December 2018
The Advocate
Police laid more than 80 firearms charges against a 58-year-old Ulverstone man on Tuesday.
In a release, police said a "lengthy criminal investigation" led to the charges being laid, along with a suspension of the man's firearms dealer's license and his personal firearms license.
He has been charged with 12 counts of unregistered firearm possession, 54 counts of a licensed firearms dealer failing to keep records in an approved form and four counts of possessing... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Prohibition Orders Soar But Gun Crime Remains Stable
27 November 2018
Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate and Daily Telegraph
Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPOs) have exploded more than 650 per cent in the past three years [In NSW] but have had little discernible impact on gun offences, analysis of crime data reveals.
[Subscription-only article: refer to... (GunPolicy.org)
Lire l'article complet : Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate and Daily Telegraph
NSW Authorities Collect 8,300 Firearms
25 October 2018
Advocate (Hobart) / Australian Associated Press
Police hope the 8300 weapons surrendered to NSW authorities during the latest gun amnesty will put a dent in the killing power of the state's criminals.
More than 1300 rifles, 400 shotguns and thousands of handguns were surrendered over the three months, NSW Police said on Thursday.
However, Australia-wide there are still more privately owned guns and illicit firearms in circulation today than ever before.
University of Sydney gunpolicy.org research estimates there... (GunPolicy.org)
Lire l'article complet : Advocate (Hobart) / Australian Associated Press
Pro-gun Groups Used Ministerial Advisory Panel to Lobby Against Tighter Laws
20 October 2018
Guardian
Groups wanted former justice minister to recognise that 'lawful use of firearms can also have benefit to society'
Pro-gun groups used a ministerial advisory panel to lobby against mandatory 28-day cooling-off periods for firearms owners and to call for changes to the "genuine need" provisions which make up the backbone of Australia's gun laws.
Documents obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information laws reveal the former justice minister Michael Keenan... (GunPolicy.org)
Samoan Police Launch New Gun Amnesty
1 October 2018
Samoa Observer
Members of the public who will use a two-months gun amnesty to bring in their unregistered and illegal guns will get a $50 Electric Power Corporation voucher.
This was announced yesterday when the Police launched a two-month long amnesty in a bid to collect unregistered and illegal guns. The amnesty ends on 30 November 2018.
This is the third amnesty under the leadership of Police Commissioner, Fuiavaili'ili Egon Keil.
Acting Prime Minister, Tuitama Dr. Leao... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Firearms Dealer Charged With Gun Trafficking
10 September 2018
Newcastle Herald (New South Wales)
A former licensed firearms dealer has been charged with 101 offences and police have seized more than 1180 guns as part of an investigation into organised crime.
In November 2015, the Criminal Groups Squad's Strike Force Raptor commenced an investigation into the activities of an organised criminal network operating across Sydney. Investigations concentrated on underworld killings with a focus on the bikie community.
As part of their extensive inquiries, Strike Force... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Gun Deaths Reach 250,000
29 August 2018
Australian (Sydney)
Gun deaths worldwide total about 250,000 yearly and the United States is among just six countries that make up half of those fatalities, a study has found.
The results from one of the most comprehensive analyses of firearm deaths reveal "a major public health problem for humanity," according to an editorial published with the study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Although recent headlines make it seem like gun killings are surging globally, the new... (GunPolicy.org)
Aggressive Behaviour at Range Causes Discord for Sydney Gun Group Officials
21 August 2018
Guardian
Cyril Peel says concerns about 'aggressive behaviour' at firing range dismissed but group says he is a 'disgruntled' member
An official from Australia's largest gun group who was suspended after raising safety concerns at a Sydney firing range says it is "only a matter of time" until there is another mass shooting.
But the group says he is a "disgruntled member" and that the matter is being investigated.
Cyril Peel, a long-standing range officer from the Sydney... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ownership Growing in Queensland
18 July 2018
Weekly Times
Gun ownership is on the rise in Queensland with the number of registered firearms increasing by more than 30 per cent in the past six years.
Police Minister Mark Ryan has revealed there were 844,129 firearms registered with police as of June 3 in response to a question on notice from the opposition.
It's a 30.09 per cent increase since 2013 when the total number of firearms registered with police was 648,852.
Mr Ryan says the increase can be largely put down to... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Profile on Life and Work of Rebecca Peters
7 July 2018
Sydney Morning Herald
Flory Teletor was 17 when she began living with her boyfriend, Santo, in a cramped apartment in Guatemala City. Santo, who was 20, worked as a security guard. He was violent and controlling. He gave Flory a daily allowance of 20 quetzals ($3.50). She had to account for every cent; when she failed to do so, he would beat her. Sometimes, he would brandish the pistol he used for work, even shooting above her head. Flory was terrified, but she had already fled an abusive... (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)
Lire l'article complet : Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
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)
Gun Advocate Leader Linked to Far-Right Anti-Immigrant Group
7 March 2018
Guardian
Special report: Firearm Owners United founder James Buckle attended United Patriots Front rallies
A pro-gun lobby group that helped to bankroll One Nation's push for seats in the Queensland state election has links to a far-right anti-Islam group whose leader once advocated for Adolf Hitler's portrait to be hung in classrooms.
As Australia's strict gun laws come under pressure from the gun lobby, a Guardian investigation has uncovered links between one pro-gun group... (GunPolicy.org)
Océanie,Europe,Asie,Amérique,Afrique,Yémen,Chine,Israël,Russie,Brésil,Royaume-Uni,Allemagne,Inde,Canada,Autriche,Australie,Mexique,États-Unis,Japon,Afrique du Sud
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)
Europe's Flourishing Gunmakers
23 February 2018
Economist
It was a blunder by Heckler & Koch, a giant German gunmaker. On February 15th the agency apologised for a "mistake" after its American subsidiary posted a Valentine's picture exhibiting a handgun surrounded by ammunition organized within the form of a coronary heart. The picture went out to social media shortly after a lethal college capturing in Florida.
The put up was additionally a reminder that though Europeans typically criticise lax firearm-ownership legal... (GunPolicy.org)
Trump & Turnbull: US to Consider an Australian Model on Guns?
23 February 2018
New York Times
WASHINGTON — One of the most powerful moments during President Trump's meeting with survivors and relatives of the Florida school shooting this week came when a student pleaded with the president to do what Australia did after a similar tragedy.
As it happened, Mr. Trump had an opportunity on Friday to get a firsthand report on Australia's crackdown on guns when he hosted the country's prime minister at the White House. But both men quickly discounted any... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Shooting Survivors Are Fighting Back
21 February 2018
Guardian
The students who survived a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school are aiming to reshape America's gun control debate.
"You're either with us or against us," senior Emma González told politicians on Sunday, following a viral speech to gun control advocates the day before when she promised, "We are going to be the last mass shooting."
Many people see the American gun control debate as a helpless stalemate dominated by the intransigence of the National Rifle... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 60,000 Registered Firearms in NZ
14 February 2018
Scoop (New Zealand)
Address to Otago University Public Health Summer School, Wellington
By Chris Cahill
President, NZ Police Association
The Police Association welcomes the timing of this symposium because it is clear to us that New Zealand needs to have a co-operative, common sense conversation about firearms.
We need to avoid resorting to extremes which we see paralysing jurisdictions such as the United States.
It has to be noted that the NRA has even inserted itself into our firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Tougher Gun Laws Pass Vic Upper House
6 February 2018
Australian Associated Press
Tougher gun laws targeting gang members, bikies and terrorists have passed Victoria's upper house.
Under the laws, police will be able to impose a firearm prohibition order on someone as young as 14, banning them from acquiring or carrying a gun and meaning they can be searched without a warrant.
The orders would target those with a history of crime, criminal association or who posed a risk to public safety.
The Andrews Labor government bill passed the Legislative... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns Than Adults in Some Hunter, NSW Towns
31 January 2018
Sydney Morning Herald
The Hunter is gun mad - and proud of it - with shooters stockpiling almost 100,000 registered firearms.
A Fairfax Media investigation can reveal that the number of registered firearms in the region has increased by about 30,000 - or a third - in the past five years.
In 2012 there were almost 70,000 registered firearms in the Hunter, compared to 99,502 in July last year. This equates to, on average, an additional 16 guns per day.
In the same time, the number of people... (GunPolicy.org)
303,000 Registered Firearm Owners in Czech Republic
27 January 2018
Radio Praha
The number of Czechs with permits to have firearms increased last year to 303,000, according to the police.
That figure is around 2,700 more than in 2016 and 11,000 more than two years ago.
Police say the rising trend of gun ownership has been caused by fears over migration, terrorist attacks, and fear of personal assault.
The number of guns, rifles and other firearms kept at home by Czechs rose to around 850,000, around 100,000 more than five years... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudan Collects 30,000 Firearms in Darfur
25 December 2017
Dabanga (Sudan)
The disarmament campaign in North Darfur has not led to the planned results, according to the state's governor, although more than 170 militiamen affiliated with former janjaweed leader Musa Hilal have reportedly been arrested.
Talking to a Darfur local radio on Saturday, Governor Abdelwahid Yousif Ibrahim acknowledged the small number of the weapons collected so far.
He pointed to the spread of huge numbers of arms in North Darfur, and stressed that there is still a... (GunPolicy.org)
How the AR-15 Became The Most Popular Rifle In America
14 December 2017
CNN
Larry Hyatt had never seen such a frenzy.
The lines at Hyatt Guns, his shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, snaked out the door. The deep, green-walled warehouse bills itself as the largest gun shop in America, but even then Hyatt had to stretch to meet the demand.
At one point, he dispatched 37 salespeople to man the cash registers. He put up velvet ropes and hired a police officer. He even put a hot dog stand outside.
It was just after the Sandy Hook massacre -- and... (GunPolicy.org)
Breakdown of NZ Firearms Endorsements
10 December 2017
Stuff (New Zealand)
Data From Infographic Showing Number of Endorsed License Holders
B (Pistol) category: 3,840
C (Collector) category: 4,003
D (Dealer) category: 462
E (Military Style Semi Automatic) category: 6,941
F (Dealer Restricted) category: 526
V (Visitor) category:... (GunPolicy.org)
Craft Weapons Seized in Finland
26 November 2017
MTV Finland
[Editor's Note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
In the forensic laboratory of the National Bureau of Investigation, between 30-40 homemade weapons are investigated annually. However, the figure is not the whole truth, as some of the weapons can be studied directly by the police without the work of the laboratory.
"Making a firearm is not a very demanding job," says technical researcher Pauli Heiskanen from the forensic laboratory.
In practice,... (GunPolicy.org)
ISIS Links to Gun Smuggling in Malaysia
20 November 2017
Straits Times (Singapore)
With the rise of extremists in Malaysia, a new insidious form of smuggling has emerged - sneaking in guns for militants.
Malaysian police have increased raids against local terror cells in recent years, but the inflow of arms has not been eradicated due to the many Malaysia-Thai cross-border smuggling routes, officials say.
Asked whether firearms were among the smuggled goods commonly seized, Malaysian Border Security Agency director-general Mohamad Ismail told The... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Investigate Hack of Guns Database
18 November 2017
Age (Melbourne)
Police are investigating the hacking of a gun club database that may have exposed where more than 1500 semi-automatic handguns are stored.
The private details of 540 members from the Port Melbourne club, including the types of weapons they owned, is believed to have been compromised this month, potentially exposing them to the theft of guns worth at least $5000 each on the black market.
Most members own multiple guns, and store them in their homes.
One Melbourne... (GunPolicy.org)
2017 Australian Gun Amnesty Results by Jurisdiction - SSAA
9 November 2017
Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia
The inclusion of gun dealers and an option to register or sell legal firearms has paved the way for high participation rates in the national firearms amnesty. The SSAA successfully lobbied the Federal Government to base the three-month amnesty on the successful Queensland version, with most states and territories adopting this proven model.
From the available data, it is clear the jurisdictions that allowed dealers to process firearms at gunshops and enabled licence... (GunPolicy.org)
Lire l'article complet : Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia
Illicit Indian Craft Firearms Smuggled to Bangladesh
4 November 2017
Daily Star (Dhaka)
In recent years, the country's northwestern border in Chapainawabganj has emerged as a major route for smuggling in arms. It has of late become militants' most preferred point for collecting illegal firearms and explosives. This is the route through which terror outfit "Neo JMB" smuggled in the guns and bombs used in last year's Gulshan café attack. With such chilling information surfacing, Shariful Islam visits the zero line area of Indo-Bangla border in the district... (GunPolicy.org)
US Virgin Islands Shows Registration-Confiscation Link
30 October 2017
NRA Publications (USA)
If there were ever a perfect example of the endgame of the gun-ban crowd and their ultimate weapon -- registration of firearm owners -- it comes with the order by the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands to confiscate registered firearms from law-abiding citizens as a response to the impending devastation of Hurricane Irma.
Gov. Kenneth Mapp, in a toxic Sept. 4 order, proclaimed that the activated National Guard "is authorized and directed to seize arms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Firearm Trends in Sri Lanka
29 October 2017
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
Early last month, traffic policemen who became suspicious of a licence plate intercepted a hybrid vehicle in which the occupants had Chinese-made assault weapons.
By all indications, if not for the vigilance of the two traffic policemen and sheer luck, a violent crime could have been committed in Gampaha town in broad daylight.
In the incident on October 2, police recovered three T56 assault rifles. The vehicle had been travelling on the road near Gampaha Hospital... (GunPolicy.org)
Interview on Illicit Firearms in Myanmar
21 October 2017
The Irrawaddy
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. This week, we'll discuss the current talk of the town—the arrest of U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San who was found with firearms and illegal drugs at Naypyitaw Airport. Lawyer U Than Zaw Aung (TZA) and The Irrawaddy Burmese editor U Yan Paing join me to discuss this. I'm Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni…
TZA: There were gun licenses issued under the BSPP government starting from 1977 but only to those who were fully-fledged party members... (GunPolicy.org)
The Gun Nuts In Our Parliament
14 October 2017
Saturday Paper (Australia)
While Australian gun laws are lauded as the world's most stringent, fringe political parties and lobbyists are doing their best to erode them.
Of course David Leyonhjelm is troubled by what happened in Las Vegas two weeks ago, when Stephen Paddock, with his arsenal of 23 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition, carried out America's worst modern-day mass killing. Of course he finds it "disturbing".
From a distance of several hundred metres, high in the Mandalay... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Gun Data Shows Extent of Private Arsenals in Suburban Australia
11 October 2017
ABC News (Australia)
Private gun owners are stockpiling arsenals of more than 300 firearms in suburban homes in some parts of the country, according to new data obtained by the Greens.
Key points:
- Police data reveals the top 100 private arsenals across NSW
- In the Sydney suburb of La Perouse, one person owns 305 guns
- Greens MP David Shoebridge said the caches were "honeypots for criminals" and posed a risk to public safety
The trend is thought to be driving an overall increase in... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ban Lowered Australian Firearm Deaths by Two-thirds
7 October 2017
Australian (Sydney), Fortune (USA), Opinion
Yet again, expressions of outrage about the Las Vegas massacre predictably are being matched by national despondency that no US government will lift a finger to prevent more of these happening.
Neither the largest gun death toll in US modern peacetime history (273 gun mass shootings in 275 days) culminating in the events of this week, nor the bullet-butchering of 20 six and seven-year-old children in Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut in 2012 apparently cut... (GunPolicy.org)
The Killer Quirk Hiding in Australia's Gun Laws
7 October 2017
Sydney Morning Herald
It has become part of the script of the larger American mass shootings. Amid the public expressions of grief and disbelief, the utterances of prayers and the tributes to the dead, Australian-style gun laws become, for a time, part of the American national debate.
The effectiveness of Australian-style gun laws has even crept into the diplomatic conversation. After she spoke with her American counterpart Rex Tillerson this week, Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Julie... (GunPolicy.org)
Better Gun Laws? Australia Lacks That Calibre of MP Today
6 October 2017
Australian (Sydney), Opinion
The mass murder in Las Vegas this week was so horrific that Australians naturally responded with grief for the victims, revulsion toward the killer and despair at America's national paralysis on gun violence. Yet there was a secondary theme, understandable but unhelpful, in the fury at the inability of someone else's political system to reach a national agreement on a chronic problem. Some of the Australian voices sounded a little too smug.
Two decades after Australia... (GunPolicy.org)
Lobbyists Say States Should Be Allowed to Personalise NFA
6 October 2017
Queensland Country Life
There has been immediate condemnation of the findings of a report into Australia's gun laws, commissioned by Gun Control Australia.
The report, authored by Philip Alpers, an associate professor of public health at the University of Sydney, claimed that Australia's tough gun laws had been significantly watered down by state governments since they were introduced under the National Firearms Agreement in the days after the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996.
As well as... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Tough Gun Laws Weakened by the States - Report
5 October 2017
Sydney Morning Herald
Australia's tough gun laws have been significantly watered down by state governments since they were introduced under the National Firearms Agreement in the days after the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, a new study has found.
According to the research by Philip Alpers, an associate professor of public health at the University of Sydney, all Australian states have succumbed to pressure from gun owners or the parties that represent them to water down some aspects of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Firearms Amnesty Collects More Than 50,000 Guns
5 October 2017
Guardian
More than 50,000 firearms will be destroyed after being handed in during the three-month national firearms amnesty.
The final figures, released on Friday, showed that the number of surrendered firearms doubled in the final month of the amnesty from 25,999 to 51,461 by 30 September.
Almost half were surrendered in New South Wales, which received 24,965 firearms despite collecting a further 67,323 in three other gun amnesties since the first national one in... (GunPolicy.org)
1.5 Million Firearms Estimated to be in NZ
4 October 2017
Stuff (New Zealand)
As the United States comes to terms with one of its deadliest mass shooting in modern history after 59 people massacred at a Las Vegas music festival, the bitter argument about gun control will be a talking point yet again. Brad Flahive and Andy Fyers take a look at the gun debate in New Zealand.
The small seaside town of Aramoana was the site of New Zealand's worst mass murder in modern history. After an argument with his neighbour, David Gray shot and killed 13... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 3.3 Million Licensed Gun Owners in India
3 October 2017
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
Data released by the Union home ministry shows that India has a total of 33,69,444 active gun licences as on December 31, 2016
Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states with active gun licences with a whopping 12.77 lakh people authorised to carry weapons, followed by militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir where 3.69 lakh people possess arms licences.
According to the statistics released by the home ministry, the country has a total of 33,69,444 active gun licences as on... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Ranked Among World's Major Gun Importers, Exporters
21 September 2017
Sydney Morning Herald
Australia is now ranked as one of the world's major gun importers, coming sixth in the United Nations-sponsored annual global Small Arms Survey, high enough to see it categorised in the top tier of gun importers.
Australia was also revealed to be the 13th-largest exporter in the world and ranked 25th in the transparency of its arms trade, scoring 12 out of a possible 25 in the survey's transparency barometer.
As an importer Australia came in behind the United States,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nearly 876,000 Weapons Registered in Switzerland
18 August 2017
Tribune de Genève
The Online Registry of Arms (CLRA) platform has catalogued thousands of weapons. We are far off the mark.
Some 876,000 rifles and pistols are currently listed on the Online Registry of Arms (CLRA) platform. They belong to 279,000 owners.
Asked by the ATS, Markus Röösli, head of the program "Harmonization of Swiss Police Informatics", confirmed these figures published by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
Military Weapons Not Included
However, they only give a partial... (GunPolicy.org)
Australians Turn In 12,500 Guns as National Amnesty Opens
11 August 2017
New York Times
SYDNEY, Australia — The first numbers for the National Gun Amnesty are in, and more than 12,500 unregistered firearms have been surrendered since it started last month, Michael Keenan, the minister for justice, announced on Thursday.
The amnesty, which is running from July 1 to Sept. 30, allows people to hand unwanted or unregistered firearms over to the police and to licensed firearm dealers without fear of prosecution. Ordinarily, the possession of an unregistered... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudanese Government to Initiate Collection Campaign for Illegal Firearms
7 August 2017
Dabanga (Sudan)
This week, Second Vice-President Hasabo Abdelrahman will chair the first meeting with the five governors of Darfur about the disarmament campaign scheduled to start before the end of this year.
The Governor of North Darfur, Abdelwahid Yousif, said in a press statement on Sunday that Abdelrahman would arrive in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, today, to discuss the state's plan for the collection of unlicensed arms with the governors of the five states of... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Knowledge of Gun Laws 'Unacceptable' - NZ Police
28 July 2017
NewsHub
Newshub has obtained an internal police document that shows a number of failures in the way police deal with firearms.
It shows their knowledge of the law around firearms is at an "unacceptable level", the licensing system is "no longer fit for purpose" and police and customs processes are "obsolete" and "leaving gaps".
Two women were shot dead on Wednesday by Whangarei man Quinn Patterson, who was amassed by an arsenal of illegal guns.
An admission by police chiefs... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodians Nabbed for Weapons Smuggling
24 July 2017
Cambodia Daily
Cambodian police on Saturday arrested three nationals in connection with an alleged weapons smuggling attempt that netted five Thai nationals across the border last week, officials said on Sunday.
"Three were arrested yesterday in Banteay Meanchey province in connection with weapons smuggling," National Police spokesman Kirth Chantharith said on Sunday before declining to answer any more questions.
However, Ben Sam Ath, police chief of Banteay Meanchey's Malai... (GunPolicy.org)
Mechanic Smuggled Thureon 'AR-15s' from US to Australia
14 July 2017
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
A black market weapons dealer who imported lethal US machine guns police say are designed for killing people is staring down the barrel of a lengthy jail term.
Paul Munro, 63, pleaded guilty to importing Thureon fully automatic rifles — which can fire 1000 rounds per minute — and firearms parts and frames into Australia in the two years to March 2015.
The County Court heard on Friday that the weapons the former mechanic imported landed in the hands of violent... (GunPolicy.org)
Latest Australian Gun Amnesty in Full Swing — But Why?
12 July 2017
New York Times
On July 1, the government introduced the National Firearms Amnesty — a three-month program that will give Australians the chance to hand in unregistered firearms without consequence or cost.
Australia is a different country now, but it's important to remember: Over 18 years starting in the late 1970s, there were 13 mass shootings. The deadliest was the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, which killed 35 people in 1996. That year, the relatively new prime minister, John... (GunPolicy.org)
France Finds 100 Registered Gun Owners on Terror Watchlist
6 July 2017
Agence France Presse
Paris - Authorities in France have identified some 100 people believed to legally own firearms despite being an anti-terror watchlist, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on Wednesday.
The announcement comes two weeks after a known gun enthusiast rammed a car laden with weapons and gas canisters into a police van on Paris' Champs-Elysees avenue, the latest in a string of jihadist attacks to hit France since 2015.
The attacker, Adam Djaziri, was the only person... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland Streamlines Firearms Registration
26 June 2017
Sputnik News
While possession of firearms has long provoked heated discussions across the globe, for Finland it doesn't seem to be a matter for debate. With new gun laws, the Nordic country has simplified gun procurement to the extreme, effectively allowing firearm permit applications online and abolishing psychological evaluations and police interviews.
Starting from 2018, the process of applying for a gun permit in Finland will be as easy as shelling peas. Gun aficionados... (GunPolicy.org)
Finnish Firearm Registration Simplified
25 June 2017
Yle News
[Editor's note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
New gun laws will soon make it easier for people to obtain firearms permits in Finland. The reforms will allow many firearm permit applications to be made on the internet, without a face-to-face meeting with police - even for first-time applicants. Gun permit applicants will also no longer be required to undergo psychological evaluations. The reforms go into effect at the beginning of next... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodia, Thailand Investigate Arms Smuggling
23 June 2017
Khmer Times
Cambodia and Thailand are now working together to investigate weapons being smuggled from Cambodia to Myanmar via Thailand after a cache was recently confiscated by the Thai military in Thailand's Trat province.
Speaking at the inauguration for the new provincial governor in border province Koh Kong on Friday, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said National Police Commissioner General Neth Savoeun was working with Thailand's Police Commissioner General to investigate the... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Smuggling on the Thai-Cambodian Border
20 June 2017
ASEAN Today
Cambodia's Defense Ministry may have blood on their hands. The Thai media have claimed they are directly involved in arms smuggling. The Thai media made the claims after Thai authorities found a weapons cache in a vehicle in the Trat province of Thailand. They assert that the weapons may be linked to Cambodian Defense Minister, Tea Banh.
The Cambodian Defense Ministry are investigating the issue. However, the recent spate of arrests suggests that the problem is not... (GunPolicy.org)
2017 Amnesty Will Yield Questionable Results in Australia
18 June 2017
The Conversation
After 18 months of false starts, Australia is about to hold another gun amnesty for three months from July 1.
Last week, Justice Minister Michael Keenan claimed the amnesty would take illegal guns off Australian streets. He went on to link the amnesty with terrorism, citing the Lindt Cafe siege and the murder of Curtis Cheng as examples.
In a time when the spectre of terrorism is increasingly used as both a shield to prevent scrutiny of policies and a sword to attack... (GunPolicy.org)
A National Amnesty Will Not Rid Australia of Violent Gun Crime - Samara McPhedran
18 June 2017
The Conversation, Opinion
After 18 months of false starts, Australia is about to hold another gun amnesty for three months from July 1.
Last week, Justice Minister Michael Keenan claimed the amnesty would take illegal guns off Australian streets. He went on to link the amnesty with terrorism, citing the Lindt Cafe siege and the murder of Curtis Cheng as examples.
In a time when the spectre of terrorism is increasingly used as both a shield to prevent scrutiny of policies and a sword to attack... (GunPolicy.org)
Cambodian Authorities Destroy Homemade Guns from Amnesty
14 June 2017
Khmer Times
Police in Preah Vihear province have collected 378 homemade rifles since launching a gun amnesty at the start of the year.
Deputy provincial police chief Colonel Sam Sameoun said officers had spoken to people in the area to educate them about illegal weapon possession, warning that homemade guns often malfunction, injuring or killing their owners.
Following the outreach work, he said officers managed to convince many residents to hand in their homemade rifles,... (GunPolicy.org)
397 Charges for Former Sydney Gun Dealer
2 June 2017
Australian Associated Press
A former Sydney firearms dealer has been charged with almost 400 firearms and explosives offences including charges related to unregistered and unsecured weapons.
The 71-year-old man was charged on Wednesday after a two-year multi-agency investigation into a former dealership in Terrey Hills, during which a number of firearms and explosive material, including gunpowder were seized, although 78 firearms remain unaccounted for, police said.
The man has been charged with... (GunPolicy.org)
Seizure of Illicit Weapons Increases
24 May 2017
Iltalehti News
[Editor's note: Translated from Finnish to English by GunPolicy.org]
The number of firearms and supplies seized by the police has increased.
Last year, 5,384 (2016) firearms or weapons were seized by the police, compared to 3,675 (2015) in the previous... (GunPolicy.org)
At What Age Is a Child Permitted to Fire a Gun in Australia?
4 May 2017
ABC News (Australia)
Despite the National Firearms Agreement which passed in just 12 days in response to the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, there is no one national gun law and no single age at which a child can use a firearm across the states and territories.
Roanan Cornish was 12 years old when he first used a firearm.
The thirteen-year-old, who lives on a farm just outside of Bendigo in central Victoria, learned how to correctly handle a .22 calibre rifle as part of a firearm safety... (GunPolicy.org)
BiH Destroys 2,315 pieces of SALW
3 May 2017
SEESAC Newsletter May 2017, Newsletter
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina destroyed 2,315 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and 3,344 of their parts and components on Saturday 29 April 2017, at Jelisingrad smelter in Banja Luka. More precisely, this activity funded by the European Union and supported by UNDP SEESAC and UNDP BiH, enabled the destruction of 996 long and 1319 short barrels.
The destroyed firearms and their components have been confiscated by police agencies of Bosnia and... (GunPolicy.org)
Access to Guns Helps Fuel Farmer Suicides - NZ Study
1 May 2017
New Zealand Farmer
A broken relationship, drink and a gun - these three factors are a "fatal combination" and account for a significant proportion of farmer suicides, especially among young men.
A gun was used by 40 per cent of the 185 farmers who took their lives between 2007-15, compared with 8 per cent in the general population.
The first study ever in New Zealand farm suicides shows that financial stress was a "negligible" factor, reported in fewer than 5 per cent of cases, nor were... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Lobbyists Push for Higher Calibre IPSC Pistols
28 April 2017
Canberra Times (Australia)
A firearms group will lobby the ACT government to allow sport shooters to use larger calibre target pistols in official competitions.
Australian Firearms Management Lobby Group recently registered on the ACT's lobbyist register.
Its head, William John Wilcher said the registration was unrelated to the ACT's recent move to restrict rapid fire lever action shotguns.
"The lobby group is not engaged in an way, shape or form to lobby in respect to lever action shotguns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Government Raises Firearm Licence Fees in Uganda
25 April 2017
Observer (Kampala)
Government has increased license fees for individuals and companies importing firearms into the country.
Estimates of non-tax revenue (NTR) rates tabled before Parliament by the finance ministry show that gun importers and owners will part with Shs 5 million each.
Currently, any company which seeks a permit to acquire or import a firearm pays Shs 1 million per year. A private security company also pays Shs 200,000 for an application to import or acquire firearms.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Putting Guns Away for Good: Can Japan eliminate firearms?
24 April 2017
Asia & the Pacific Policy Forum
A decline in private firearms ownership and no recognisable gun culture means that Japan is positioned to be the world's first country to reverse the gunpowder revolution, writes Aaron Karp.
Four-hundred years ago Japan eradicated virtually all firearms. Today the country may be on the cusp of an equally far-reaching, albeit far gentler, transformation.
Although Japan's private gun ownership rose during the 20th century, today's levels are not just small but rapidly... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Shop Loses 130 Handguns to Thieves in Western Australia
24 March 2017
ABC News (Australia)
Western Australia's Police Commissioner is calling for tighter regulations affecting gun stores and owners following the "highly organised" theft of 130 handguns from a Perth store.
But gun lobby groups have dismissed his comments, saying WA is already the most regulated state in Australia and any further controls would be overkill.
It comes after police revealed 130 handguns including revolvers and semi-automatics were stolen from Barry and Son Firearms in Beckenham... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Dealer Theft Worth $650,000 on Black Market - ABC News
22 March 2017
ABC News (Australia)
More than 100 handguns have been stolen from a firearms store in Perth's southern suburbs, with police describing the theft as a highly organised heist and saying there could be "disastrous" consequences.
Police said 130 handguns including revolvers and semi-automatics were stolen from Barry and Son Firearms in Beckenham on the night of March 11.
The guns are valued at about $5,000 each on the black market, taking the total value of the stolen firearms to... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Group Targeted Ruling Parties With $45,000
19 March 2017
Sunday Telegraph (Sydney)
A pro-gun group appointed to advise the federal government on its national firearms agreement donated more than $45,000 to the Liberal and National parties last year.
Less than a year after the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) was established, the group was appointed to the government's Firearms Industry Reference Group (FIRG) to provide advice on technical elements of the National Firearms Agreement.
Adler shotgun importer Robert Nioa, the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Agencies Help Stop Smuggling of 5000 Guns to Australia
16 March 2017
News Corp Australia Network
The largest ever shipment of guns organised by bikie gangs and bound for Australia has been stopped in the US and seized by police as the crackdown on outlaw motorcycle clubs intensifies.
The almost 5000-strong shipment of handguns and automatic rifles was nabbed late last year before reaching Australian shores as part of a joint investigation between federal, state and international policing agencies.
News Corp Australia can exclusively reveal the operations leading... (GunPolicy.org)
Accidental Shootings Leading Cause of Death Among NZ Hunters
13 March 2017
Newshub
New research has revealed hunters falling to their deaths is one of the leading causes of hunting fatalities, alongside firearms incidents.
It's just one finding in a first-of-its-kind analysis of hunting data aimed at identifying problem-areas in the sector.
A Hunters Tale, A deep dive into hunting incidents in New Zealand has been put together by the Mountain Safety Council, partnered with groups including the police, ACC, the Department of Conservation and... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooters Union of Queensland Analysis of NFA 2017
10 March 2017
Shooters Union Australia, Blog
Following the release of the 2017 version of the National Firearms Agreement, Shooters Union had a look at the document, comparing it to the 1996 version, understanding what the clauses mean and looking at what legislation has to change to enact the NFA.
Being largely a re-hash of the 1996 NFA, all of the restrictive, discriminatory clauses remain and then some. Even the provisions from 1996 that have been proven to be unworkable in the intervening years, have been... (GunPolicy.org)
Malaysia Shuts Down North Korean Arms Trafficking Firms
28 February 2017
Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's authorities were aware that two North Korea-linked companies operated an arms business in the country and both were being struck from the Company Registry, the police chief said on Tuesday.
Reuters reported on Monday that North Korean intelligence ran an arms operation out of Malaysia called Glocom, and two companies linked to the trade were International Global System and International Golden Services.
Confirming details of the story,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Donated $350,000 to Australian Politicians in a Year
15 February 2017
Guardian
Australian political parties accepted more than $300,000 in donations over 12 months from the firearms lobby, gun suppliers and manufacturers, sparking concern among gun control groups.
An analysis of the latest Australian Electoral Commission donation disclosures by Gun Control Australia has revealed that firearms groups donated $353,000 to various federal political bodies around the country. The donations were made in the 2015-16 financial year, during a period when... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Illegal Guns Smuggled to Australia Arrive as Parts
6 February 2017
Australian (Sydney)
Sophisticated arms smuggling involving sending individual components of guns through regular international mail and reassembling them here has become the conduit of choice for Australian criminals engaged in the illicit trade.
The Australian Border Force revealed to The Australian two major busts of alleged illegal firearm operations in recent days, in Queensland and NSW, one involving semi-automatic weapons.
The border watchdog says the arrests demonstrate its... (GunPolicy.org)
Prominent Assassination with Military Firearm in Myanmar
2 February 2017
New York Times
YANGON, Myanmar — The soft-spoken rights lawyer had devised a plan to replace Myanmar's Constitution with one that would strip the military of its extraordinary political powers.
The lawyer, U Ko Ni, a top adviser to the governing National League for Democracy, had recently been working on a new draft, a colleague said, and he hoped to promote his project at a conference this month.
But when he returned to the Yangon airport on Sunday from a trip to Indonesia,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Craft Production in Bangladesh's Moheshkhali Region
7 January 2017
Dhaka Tribune
The market price of these weapons are quite low, therefore the demand is high among local criminals in Moheshkhali. Apart from being used by local criminals, they are also transferred to other districts around the country evading law enforcers.
On January 4, RAB 7 members traced some weapons to a factory in Cox's Bazar. After raiding the factory, 22 firearms and 22 rounds of bullets were seized along with 33 other equipments used for manufacturing weapons. The... (GunPolicy.org)
29 December 2016
Deutsche Welle
"What do you mean, 'Where did I get the gun?'" Mladen can't really understand why I would ask that question. He is almost 30 and the pistol has been among the household effects of his Belgrade apartment since he can remember. It is an old Yugoslavian version of the famous Soviet Tokarev TT- 33, with a communist star engraved in the grip. "The pistol is from the front. My old man was in the army and got it as a present. He didn't have a gun permit, but who had something... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owners' Addresses Revealed in Simple Privacy Blunder
28 December 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Dozens of home addresses of gun owners have been easily obtained in a simple privacy blunder that a veteran police officer fears may be utilised by thieves.
The treasure trove of addresses has been discovered by simple online searches of publicly available information. It has prompted a warning from NSW Police's Firearms Squad to "use common sense when providing personal details in conjunction with information about firearms".
A gun owner and veteran police officer,... (GunPolicy.org)
Amérique,Asie,Europe,Afrique,Océanie
Nous sommes désolés, mais Gun Policy News doit fermer [FR]
3 December 2016
GunPolicy.org, Letter
Chers lecteurs,
Garder Gun Policy Actualités en ligne a toujours été une bataille. Nos bulletins quotidiens ont été lancés il y a maintenant 18 ans, mais 40 000 articles plus tard, j'ai été obligé de me séparer de mon équipe multilingue, simplement pour cause de manque de fonds.
Aujourd'hui, je suis au regret de vous annoncer la fin de tous les flux de Gun Policy Actualités sur Twitter, Facebook, les courriels de groupes et nos flux RSS, reçus par des... (GunPolicy.org)
Océanie,Afrique,Amérique,Asie,Europe,Australie
Lo Sentimos, Pero Gun Policy News Debe Cerrar [ES]
3 December 2016
GunPolicy.org, Letter
Estimados lectores,
Siempre ha sido una batalla mantener a Gun Policy News online. Nuestros boletines diarios de noticias comenzaron hace 18 años, pero 40.000 artículos más tarde me he visto obligado a dejar ir a nuestro personal multilingüe, simplemente por falta de fondos.
Hoy, me temo que todos los servidores de Twitter, páginas de Facebook, grupos de correo electrónico y los servidores de noticias RSS de Gun Policy News a numerosos lectores en español,... (GunPolicy.org)
Océanie,Asie,Amérique,Afrique,Europe
Sorry, But Gun Policy News Must Close
3 December 2016
Gun Policy News, Letter
Dear readers,
It's always been a battle to keep Gun Policy News online. Our daily news bulletins began 18 years ago, but 40,000 articles later I've been obliged to lay off our multilingual staff, simply for lack of funding.
Today I regret that all Gun Policy News Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, E-mail groups and RSS news feeds to many thousands of readers in Spanish, French and English must cease.
GunPolicy.org, the parent Web site of Gun Policy News, will remain... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Owners Lose 3,000 Guns to Thieves Each Year
29 November 2016
Guardian
More than 6000 guns have been reported stolen across Australia over two years and there are fears they are flowing into the illicit firearms market.
Figures obtained under freedom of information from each state by Gun Control Australia showed 6451 guns were stolen between 2013 and 2015.
Most of those guns were stolen in rural and regional areas from homes or rural dwellings including farm houses.
Most thefts occurred in Victoria where 1451 were stolen in the two-year... (GunPolicy.org)
At Least 508 People Were Shot in America Over Thanksgiving
28 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
The streets of New Orleans's French Quarter had swelled with tourists after the annual Bayou Classic football game early Sunday when shots rang out. An argument that started somewhere else washed up on Bourbon Street and became a gun battle. One person died, another nine were wounded. None of the victims were the intended targets.
Demontris Toliver was a 25-year-old a tattoo artist from Baton Rouge who was visiting the town where he grew up to celebrate his birthday.... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Gun Background Checks on US Black Friday
28 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
Hillary Clinton lost her bid for the White House, and the National Rifle Association's 2016 champion Donald Trump is almost certain to leave firearm regulations alone. But America's appetite for guns is more voracious than ever.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Instant Criminal Background Check System processed more background checks for gun transactions on Black Friday — 185,713 in total — than on any single day since the system launched nearly two... (GunPolicy.org)
Norwegian Police Involved in Four Fatal Shootings in 14 Years
28 November 2016
Local (Norway)
Norwegian police shot and killed a 35-year-old man in Kristiansand early on Sunday morning, an incredibly rare incident in a nation where fatal police shootings are nearly non-existent.
Police would not say how many shots they fired at the 35-year-old but according to local news source Fædrelandsvennen numerous empty cartridges were found at the site.
Police received tip-offs from members of the public about an armed man who was displaying threatening behaviour.... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Soared, No Panic Buying on US 'Black Friday' [ES]
27 November 2016
CNN
[Translated summary: Buyers crowded gun shops during 'Black Friday' in the US. The law bans gun buying as a gift, so big discounts were the main factor boosting sales. Some gun dealers had stocked up before the elections in the hope of panic buying if Hillary Clinton won.]
Multitudes de compradores llegaron a las tiendas de armas durante el pasado viernes negro, el gran día del año para este negocio.
Ciertamente, las ventas de armas en el viernes negro no están... (GunPolicy.org)
Pennsylvania Lifts Ban on Hunting with Semi-automatic Guns
27 November 2016
Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh)
It isn't a sense of power in his hands, or the thrill of having the ability to kill. It's not even the ear bursting BANG, BANG, BANG at the shooting range.
"People who don't have guns never understand why we shoot," said Stephen Ambrose of Washington, Pa. "For me it's the accuracy, the control. When I can punch five holes within the size of a quarter with a semiautomatic tactical rifle, it's a skill most people don't have. I go out to the shooting range and work on it,... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Not Smart Guns in This High-Tech Era? - NY Times
26 November 2016
New York Times, Editorial
The Department of Justice has issued official guidelines for the manufacture of smart guns — weapons that, like smartphones, have technology to allow only the rightful owners to use them. The guidelines aim to "shape the future of gun safety technology," as called for under an executive order issued in January by President Obama, in the face of Congress's refusal to deal with the nation's horrendous toll of gun deaths.
Nearly 7,000 children committed suicide with... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Boom in America's 'Black Friday' Shopping Spree
25 November 2016
CNN
The Black Friday weapon sales are not driven by the Christmas spirit since gun laws in many states prohibit buying guns for someone else. The sales are driven by sharp discounts.
Not far from New York City, hundreds of shoppers packed into RTSP, a gun shop and firing range in Randolph, New Jersey, lured by Black Friday discounts of 5% to 10% for guns, ammunition and accessories.
Dr. Joseph Feldman, a surgeon from neighboring Montville, was buying a $500 Sig Sauer... (GunPolicy.org)
2,300 Guns Seized This Year in Honduras [ES]
25 November 2016
La Prensa (Honduras)
[Translated summary: 2,300 guns were seized since the beginning of 2016 in Honduras. Most illegal firearms belong to gangs, including AK47 and AR15 rifles. The majority of homicides are committed with pistols and rifles.]
San Pedro Sula -- El tráfico y uso de armas ilegales es uno de los delitos que más afecta al país, la mayoría de homicidios son cometidos con pistolas y fusiles de guerra.
El mayor número de armas ilícitas están en manos de grupos criminales... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Killing Sparks New Gun Rules in Morocco [FR]
25 November 2016
Yabiladi (Morocco)
[Translated summary: Following human rights protests after police killed two criminals in Morocco, the General Directorate for National Security has given new instructions regarding the use of service firearms. Guns must be the last resort and police officers must aim for the limbs, except in the case of terrorist attack or resistance to the authorities.]
Suite au décès de deux « délinquants » tombés sous les balles de la police à Béni Mellal et Salé, les... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Plans More Control Over Disabled Firearms [ES]
24 November 2016
Vanguardia (Colombia), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: After establishing that firearms used in terrorist attacks came from the black market, Spain's Congressional Defence Commission will enforce tighter controls so firearms cannot be modified for use in terrorist attacks. In collaboration with EU states, Spain will standardise techniques to permanently disable guns.]
La Comisión de Defensa del Congreso ha aprobado una iniciativa del grupo popular por la que, previa trasposición de una directiva... (GunPolicy.org)
Lire l'article complet : Vanguardia (Colombia), EFE News Agency
One Firearm for Every 16 Inhabitants in Spain [ES]
24 November 2016
Mundiario (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Spain ranks 18th in the global ranking of civilian firearm possession, with one firearm for every 16 inhabitants. To legally own a firearm, applicants must certify that they are going to use it for sport or hunting, they must pass an exam and a background check and present a medical certificate. To own a firearm for self defence, applicants must justify a risk or a threat.]
España, con una de las legislaciones más restrictivas del mundo en el uso... (GunPolicy.org)
US Needs Better Laws to Protect Mentally Ill from Guns [ES]
24 November 2016
El Nuevo Herald (US), Editorial
[Translated summary: Loopholes in US law allow mentally ill people to purchase firearms. Most gun shops operate with caution but some don't perform background checks. It is urgent to reinforce background checks for all transactions, but, at the same time, it is necessary to not generalise saying that all mentally ill people are violent.]
Hace cuatro años, una mujer que padece esquizofrenia paranoide llamada Colby Sue Weathers mató a su padre disparándole por la... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Now Has National Online Firearm Registration [FR]
24 November 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Swiss Police are now able to search firearm registers online, which allows them to obtain in one place the information about all private guns owned or transferred. Before, they had to contact every cantonal office individually. Police can also use the new system before making an intervention, to learn about the firearms owned by the people involved.]
Depuis début octobre, la police peut effectuer une recherche en ligne dans les registres d'armes... (GunPolicy.org)
604 Homicides in Canada in 2015
24 November 2016
Highbury Clock (UK)
According to a report issued Wednesday by Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan reported the highest homicide rate in the country in 2015, with 3.79 per 100,000 people.
Saskatoon came in second with a rate of 3.22.
Quebec is among the provinces with the lowest provincial homicide rate - 0.93 per 100,000 people - while Saskatchewan has the highest rate: 3.79 per 100,000 people.
Despite this increase over 2014, the homicide rate in Canada in 2015 remains below the average... (GunPolicy.org)
24,000 Guns Seized in Tamaulipas, Mexico Since 2011 [ES]
23 November 2016
Expreso (Mexico)
[Translated summary: The Mexican Army has seized 24,000 firearms in the state of Tamaulipas since January 2011, most of them in an operation that involved civilians with pistols, semi-automatic guns and assault weapons. In the same period, 2,871 guns were destroyed and 10,611 new firearms were registered.]
CIUDAD VICTORIA -- El Ejército ha asegurado 24 mil armas de fuego en Tamaulipas de enero de 2011 a octubre de este año, la mayoría en operativos que involucraban... (GunPolicy.org)
New Gun Law in Cameroon Bans Homemade Firearms [FR]
23 November 2016
237 Online (Cameroon)
[Translated summary: The National Defence and Security Committee of Cameroon has examined a new firearm and ammunition bill. The new regulations include the prohibition of homemade firearms and mandatory marking for better tracing.]
L'Economie du projet de loi examinée à la Commission de la défense nationale et de la sécurité.
La Commission de la défense nationale et de la sécurité a, vendredi dernier, en présence du ministre de la Défense, examiné le... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Find '3D-Printed Submachine Gun' Factory in Australia
23 November 2016
Guardian, Australian Associated Press
A highly sophisticated weapons production facility using 3D printers and computers to make machine guns has been uncovered in a series of raids across the Gold Coast.
Police say they found four homemade automatic submachine guns, silencers, ammunition, a replica handgun, a .45 calibre pistol and equipment used to make weapons at two Nerang businesses, as well as a pill press.
The equipment used to make the weapons included computers, a 3D printer, drill presses and... (GunPolicy.org)
Lire l'article complet : Guardian, Australian Associated Press
Trump's Victory Has Fearful Minorities Buying Up Guns - NBC
23 November 2016
NBC News (USA)
After Donald Trump's win, Yolanda Scott is upgrading the crowbar she keeps in her purse to a small-caliber pistol.
Scott, an African-American, is one of many minorities who have been flocking to gun stores to protect themselves, afraid Trump's victory will incite more hate crimes.
"You feel that racists now feel like they can attack us just because the president is doing it," one gun shop owner told NBC News.
Gun store owners told NBC News that since November 8... (GunPolicy.org)
Pentagon Beats Trump to Allow Private Guns on Military Bases
23 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump vowed to use his executive authority to immediately scrap a longstanding rule that bars military personnel from carrying their own firearms on bases and at recruiting centers. Late last week, the Department of Defense took its own steps to loosen restrictions on private gun carry in new rules issued by the Pentagon.
A November 18 directive, approved by Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work, says base commanders "may grant... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raid 'First of its Kind' Illegal Gun Factory in Australia
23 November 2016
Brisbane Times (Queensland)
Police say sophisticated gun factory found during raids at the Gold Coast on Friday is the first of its kind in Queensland.
Officers executed search warrants on four residential properties and two industrial sheds finding drug labs, a weapons factory, drugs, guns, ammunition and 3D printer.
The guns found included four "uzi-style" submachine guns, three silencers and two handguns while drugs seized included steroids, cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines.
Five people... (GunPolicy.org)
How America's Gun Violence Research Ban Hurt Science
23 November 2016
Huffington Post (USA)
In 1996, Congress passed the Dickey Amendment, effectively banning government research on gun violence. But these days, former Republican representative Jay Dickey sees his namesake amendment for what it was: A mistake.
"I wish we had started the proper research and kept it going all this time," Dickey told The Huffington Post last year. "I have regrets."
Now, a research letter published as part of a series on firearm violence in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine... (GunPolicy.org)
Traffickers Flood Mexico with Easily Bought American Guns [ES]
22 November 2016
Vice News (US)
[Translated summary: Although Mexico has some of the strictest gun legislation in the world, with only one shop where guns can be bought legally, there are more than 15 million guns in circulation and 85% are illegal. One of the main reasons is the proximity of the USA, where guns are easily available. Almost 100,000 Mexicans died of gun wounds in the last decade.]
Es casi la media noche del 11 de octubre y la policía recibe una llamada de emergencia alertando de una... (GunPolicy.org)
US National Institute of Justice Encourages 'Smart Guns' [ES]
22 November 2016
Actualidad Gadget (Spain)
[Translated summary: Although 'smart guns' are already on sale in the US, the National Institute of Justice has just created specific regulations for this kind of firearms. The specifications are not mandatory, they are designed to boost the growth of gun safety technology.]
Aunque parezca que el desarrollo de sistemas de inteligencia artificial básicamente se está llevando a cabo por empresas como Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM… lo cierto es que cada vez hay más... (GunPolicy.org)
Pentagon Relaxes Gun Carrying on US Military Premises [FR]
22 November 2016
Le Journal de Montréal
[Translated summary: The Pentagon has softened the rules that restricted military personnel carrying guns, as a consequence of a shooting in Chattanooga that left five soldiers dead. According to the new rules, military officers will be able to carry a private gun on their base or place of work but they will need authorisation from their superiors.]
Le Pentagone a assoupli les règles restreignant le port d'armes des militaires sur le territoire américain, une... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Dealers Say Trump Election Will Likely Slow Gun Sales
22 November 2016
USA Today
On Nov. 9, the day after Donald Trump had been elected president, a customer walked into the Phoenix Tactical gun shop here not to make a purchase but to cancel one.
The customer had put a Glock pistol on layaway, but wanted to void the purchase because Hillary Clinton had lost the election and a pro-gun Donald Trump had emerged victorious, Phoenix Tactical owner Bryan Bryner said.
"He said: 'The threat is gone,' " Bryner said.
That change of heart reflects a new... (GunPolicy.org)
Private Gun Carrying Rules Eased on US Military Premises [ES]
22 November 2016
La Información (Dominican Republic)
[Translated Summary: After a fatal shooting at a recruiting centre, the Pentagon has softened its regulation of gun carrying by military personnel in American territory. The new regulation will allow commanders to authorize military personnel to carry "personal firearms (hidden or in sight) for protection and when the firearm is not linked to any official duty or activity."]
El Pentágono flexibilizó las reglas que restringían el porte de armas para los militares en... (GunPolicy.org)
Lire l'article complet : La Información (Dominican Republic)
Women Are Gearing Up! More Women Getting Guns in US [ES]
22 November 2016
Telemundo (USA)
[Translated Summary: According to an American news channel, more women are applying for background checks; gun shop owners also note that more and more women are purchasing firearms. The owner of a shooting range says 80% of the students are women. In addition, gun advocates point to statistics showing that, every year, 200,000 women are using firearms to defend themselves from a sexual assault.]
A pesar de que hoy en día los controles para la compra de armas son más... (GunPolicy.org)
American Women Buying More Guns Than Ever, Claims Dealer
22 November 2016
Opposing Views (Canada)
National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NCIS) numbers indicate that 2016 is on pace to have the highest number of background checks for guns on record.
Up until the end of October, NCIS conducted 22,206,203 firearm background checks, which is less than 1 million away from the record year of 2015, which ran 23,141,970 firearm background checks. With two more months left to report, 2016 will likely surpass 2015 when the November numbers come through.
NCIS... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Airport Screeners Report Seized, Loaded Guns Up 55%
22 November 2016
ABC News (USA)
TAMPA -- Security screeners at Tampa International Airport are seeing record numbers of deadly weapons and guns coming through. It's a growing problem for them and you when it comes to wait times in lines.
"We're number one in the state for the number of deadly dangerous items that were finding" says TSA's Federal Security Director Lee Kair.
Kair tells us some items are obvious weapons, but some are hard to spot, like lipstick that's really a knife, or credit card... (GunPolicy.org)
Background Checks May Affect Suicide Prevention Efforts in US
22 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
There is one question Carol Runyan considers vitally important to ask the parents of suicidal teens: Is there a gun in the house?
Runyan, the director of Program for Injury Prevention, Education, and Research at the Colorado School of Public Health, knows the presence of a firearm in a home increases the odds that someone who lives there will take his or her own life. Guns are reliably lethal — research indicates that suicide attempts involving a firearm result in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Owners Plan to Eliminate Curbs on Ownership - NYT
22 November 2016
New York Times
HOUSTON — Before the election, gun rights activists were so worried Hillary Clinton would win the presidency that some of them bought extra ammunition and guns, fearing a crackdown on certain weapons, bullets and magazines.
They're not worried now. Instead, since the election of Donald J. Trump, gun advocates have been rejoicing, crowing about their political clout and plotting ways to eliminate many remaining curbs on gun ownership and use as they await one of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Registration Up 100% to 747,888 Guns in Belgium [FR]
22 November 2016
Derniere Heure (Brussels)
[Translated summary: In five years, applications for firearm possession in Belgium increased by 100%. The Walloon region is the most armed with 347,113 firearms, followed by Flanders with 324,580. Brussells has 76,205 registered firearms. According to the authorities, the main reason given by new applicants is sport shooting.]
Il y a plus d'armes en Wallonie qu'en Flandre.
Phénomène de société, crainte inspirée par le terrorisme, réaction à une législation... (GunPolicy.org)
After Trump's Victory, Gun Sellers Rely On 'Black Friday' [FR]
21 November 2016
Les Echos (France)
[Translated summary: After the election of Donald Trump, one of the main American gun manufacturers, Smith & Wesson, saw its stock price fall by 15%. The reason is that gun enthusiasts were buying more firearms in case Hillary Clinton won. Now, sellers expect to recover during the 'Black Friday' but estimate that they have little chance of repeating the record numbers of last year.]
Il y a quelques semaines encore, nous étions dans une Amérique démocrate, ou le... (GunPolicy.org)
Uganda Destroys 6,000 Illegal Guns
21 November 2016
K FM (Uganda)
In an effort to reduce the amount of illicit arms, the government has today destroyed 6000 small arms and weapons collected by police in a nationwide exercise.
In his speech during the exercise in Bukasa, Wakiso District, the state minister for internal affairs Mario Obigo Kania said such arms pose a major security threat if poorly managed and stored.
He also added that improving human security shouldn't be a responsibility of only the security agencies but also... (GunPolicy.org)
Balkan Gun Trafficking Fears Grow Amid Major Security Alerts
20 November 2016
Irish Times (Dublin)
Serbia is urgently checking state arms depots after scores of guns were found to be missing from a military warehouse, fuelling concern over Balkan weapons smuggling amid a series of major security scares around the region.
Serbia's defence ministry said military intelligence, military police and other agencies were investigating the disappearance of weaponry including 70 semi-automatic pistols, five automatic rifles and two cases of ammunition.
Last week Serbia... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control 'Eroded' in Canada, Now More Guns on the Streets
20 November 2016
Toronto Star (Ontario)
Weakened gun laws and how they're enforced have led to a spike in the number of restricted firearms in the hands of Canadians — and ultimately in hands of criminals, a leading gun-control advocate says.
Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control, said relaxed licensing processes and legislative changes under the past Conservative government "eroded strict controls" that limited access to certain firearms.
The number of restricted firearms — a... (GunPolicy.org)
The Steps to Own a Firearm Legally in Mexico [ES]
19 November 2016
24 Horas (Mexico)
[Translated summary: Mexican law allows civilians to own a firearm for security and self-defence but only inside their own homes. The gun has to be registered and can only be a semi-automatic handgun with a calibre not higher than .38. Carrying hidden handguns is restricted to special cases.]
Aunque la iniciativa de reforma a la Ley Federal de Armas de Fuego y Explosivos no ha sido dictaminada al no encontrar respaldo de las fracciones parlamentarias en el Senado, el... (GunPolicy.org)
Half of Toronto's Crime Guns Come from Local Dealers, Owners
19 November 2016
Toronto Star (Ontario)
Danny Santapaga, a self-employed financial adviser, bought 14 guns on 10 different occasions over seven months.
Plumber Graham Jovanovic purchased nine firearms over five weeks. University student Justin Green obtained 23 handguns during a 22-month period, including 15 from one store. Security guard Andrew Winchester acquired 47 handguns in a six-month buying binge.
These Toronto men have no apparent connection to one another. But they share a common thread.
Each... (GunPolicy.org)