Sweden’s authorities has introduced plans to tighten its gun legal guidelines, days after the worst mass taking pictures within the nation’s historical past.
The gunman, who killed 10 folks and himself at an grownup training centre in Orebro on Tuesday, had 4 legally-owned rifles – three of which have been discovered on the faculty, police mentioned.
Sweden’s centre-right coalition mentioned it could search to extend vetting for gun licenses and limit entry to semi-automatic weapons.
“There are specific varieties of weapons which can be so harmful that they need to solely be possessed for civilian functions as an exception,” the federal government mentioned.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, on a go to to Latvia, informed reporters: “We’ve got to make sure that solely the suitable folks have weapons in Sweden.”
The Sweden Democrats mentioned that it agreed with proposals to amend the legislation, together with better restrictions on entry to semi-automatic weapons.
“The horrific act of violence in Orebro raises a number of key questions on gun laws,” the social gathering mentioned in an announcement.
The AR-15, a specific model of semi-automatic rifle that’s each highly effective and may carry massive magazines, was singled out by the federal government for example of weapons that could possibly be restricted.
Police haven’t mentioned precisely which weapons have been used within the assault, however the AR-15 has been utilized in many mass shootings within the US.
They confirmed that a number of lengthy rifles have been discovered on the website of the assault in Orebro, together with 10 empty magazines.
Below present Swedish gun legal guidelines, anybody over 18 who doesn’t have a prison report can apply for a allow for a shotgun, handgun or semi-automatic rifle.
They need to justify to the police why they want a gun. Individuals over 20 can apply for a particular dispensation to personal a totally computerized weapon.
Round 580,000 Swedes have a weapons license out of a inhabitants of round 10.5 million, in keeping with figures from Swedish broadcaster SVT.
A 2017 Swiss research discovered there have been about 2.3 million weapons held by civilians in Sweden. That’s round 23 weapons per 100 folks, in comparison with 29 in Norway and 120 per 100 within the US.
To acquire a looking license in Sweden, a idea and sensible take a look at is required. About 280,000 Swedes have one.
Police have but to publicly determine the victims of the assault in Orebro, however mentioned they hoped to conclude the identification course of and make an announcement on Friday.
Among the many useless, in keeping with household and group members, have been Syrians who fled the conflict there as refugees, in addition to one Bosnian.
Police have additionally but to say something concerning the killer’s doable motive. Members of the Syrian orthodox group in Orebro informed the BBC they feared he was pushed by a hatred of foreigners.
Sweden has a comparatively excessive degree of gun possession and gun crime, by European requirements, although most weapons are legally owned and used for looking.
Gun crime is usually related to gangs, who’ve additionally taken to utilizing bombs to focus on each other.
Non gang-related gun crime is much less uncommon, and Tuesday’s assault was the nation’s first faculty taking pictures and its worst mass taking pictures. A complete of 4 folks have been killed in two separate faculty stabbings in 2015 and 2022.