Shooting in Christchurch: firearms owners start to surrender their weapons | News from the world



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New Zealanders began handing over their firearms to police following Friday's mbadive shooting in Christchurch, which killed at least 50 people.

New Zealand police said Tuesday night at least 37 firearms had been handed over to police officers across the country.

The Prime Minister is expected to announce changes to the firearms legislation in the coming days, including measures such as the ban on semi-automatic rifles, a plan announced by his Attorney General, David Parker, a day after the mbadacre.

Jacinda Ardern said her team would take the rest of the week to settle the details after agreeing to make changes "in principle," adding, "These areas of law are not simple. So that's just what we will take the time to do well. "

Ardern encouraged people to hand over their firearms to the police and advised anyone considering buying a firearm to wait a few days before informing them of the laws before handing over their firearms. invest.

"As the Prime Minister has announced, anyone wishing to hand over his firearm to the police is invited to do so," said New Zealand police, who urged people to call and alert the police. who would have it with a gun because of increased security fears.

"You can contact your local police station or your weapons officer for advice on the safe transport of the firearm to the police. This will also allow our staff to be informed of your arrival in advance. "

John Hart, who operates a cattle and cattle farm north of Masterton, is one of those who surrendered a firearm.

Hart, a Green party candidate for the 2017 elections, handed over his semi-automatic rifle to police on Monday following the shooting. Hart said the gun was useful for some tasks, but it was "too dangerous to have such a weapon".

"For me, it has become a compromise: is my convenience the risk of endangering the lives of others with these guns in the country?" I quickly realized that there was no comparison possible. We will manage without semi-automatic weapons, we will not be able to cope without the people who have been removed from these events. "

John Hart
(@Farmgeek)

Until today, I was one of the New Zealanders to own a semi-automatic rifle. On the farm, they are a useful tool under certain circumstances, but my convenience does not outweigh the risk of misuse.

We do not need it in our country.

We must make sure that #Never again pic.twitter.com/crLCQrOuLc


March 18, 2019

"I recognize that a person who surrenders a firearm to the police will not change the world, but it's a start, the country is now a safer weapon than it is." was before, "he said.

Hart stated that he supported any initiative to reform the existing gun legislation in New Zealand, which he said was clearly problematic, given that they had allowed the alleged gunman during the Christchurch attack to be able to access the firearms legally.

Fish and Game NZ, a key hunting lobby organization in New Zealand, has also supported calls for a ban and buyback of semi-automatic military-style weapons, as well as a limitation the sale of high-capacity magazines, which could prevent people from engaging in illegal activities. turn a smaller capacity semi-automatic rifle into a military style weapon.

Fish and Game New Zealand executive director Martin Taylor told Radio NZ that people do not need to own these weapons: "They are designed for one thing only and it is to kill people."

Firearms officers reported receiving an increasing number of inquiries from people wanting more information on how the new firearms laws, which Ardern says would be announced within 10 days, would touch them.

"We get a lot of phone inquiries from people who want to know what that will mean to them," said a Northland Region gun controller.

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