Gun-related and/or hate-related killings or concerns
The U.S. Justice Department is trying to crack down on trafficking in firearms, including setting up five strike teams which will work with local law enforcement to disrupt criminal sales. The teams will be concentrated in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, all of which the department calls “significant gun trafficking corridors.” [node:read-more:link]
A national Muslim organization is calling the July 14 vandalization of a mosque in Cambridge, Ont., an “act of hate.” The fact that the Baitul Kareem Mosque was attacked in broad daylight is particularly troubling for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Canada. “Our mosques have always served as symbols of peace in the community,” says the organization’s president, Lal Khan Malik. “It is hurtful for us to see our mosque attacked and vandalized in this fashion.” [node:read-more:link]
An Ontario teenager is worried that a prank involving a $6.49 Nerf gun could hinder his chances of a Canadian Armed Forces career. He and a friend were arrested and charged with assault with a weapon and criminal harassment after they had driven around a nearby community, firing rubber darts at residents. [node:read-more:link]
A Utah company has received a “cease and desist” letter for modifying a Glock pistol to look like it was built from Lego. The Danish manufacturer of the globally-popular building blocks was alerted by the heard of a firearms safety group. Culper Precision says its modification was supposed to “highlight the pure enjoyment of the shooting sports.” It’s illegal in the U.S. to produce realistic toy guns but there’s no explicit ban on doing the opposite. [node:read-more:link]
New York has become the first U.S. state to declare a disaster emergency in a bid to address increased gun violence. The decision by Gov Andrew Cuomo, which budgets $138.7 million for prevention and intervention measures, follows 51 shootings over the July 4 holiday weekend. [node:read-more:link]
Sidney Hall, a Washington lawyer and conspiracy theorist, is being sued for defamation by a Dominion Voting Systems company for her “wild accusations” that the company rigged last November’s presidential election. Headquartered in Toronto and Colorado, the company is seeking at least $1.3 billion in damages over Powell’s claims that voting machines used in several states were part of a scheme to prevent President Donald Trump’s re-election. [node:read-more:link]
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announced, effective 7 July 2021, that the Government is expanding mandatory firearms licence background checks to cover the lifetime of an applicant. The plan also reinstates the requirement to seek Authorization to Transport for restricted and prohibited firearms to most locations. [node:read-more:link]
Sending a strong message that Canada will not tolerate hate-based violence, the Government of Canada has placed four new terrorist entities, which includes one individual, on the Criminal Code list. [node:read-more:link]
Terror charges have been laid against the man accused of intentionally driving into a Muslim family walking on a London, Ontario sidewalk. Grandmother, parents, and teen were killed, and a younger child sent to hospital with serious injuries. Police have alleged that the attack on the evening of June 6, was a planned and premeditated act against Muslims. [node:read-more:link]
Four members of a Muslim family in London., Ont., were killed in a June 6 hit-and-run attack which resulted in the 20-year-old driver of the vehicle being charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder, the latter involving a fifth member of the family. Police said the attack was a “premeditated act motivated by hate” and were consulting the RCMP on the possibility of laying terrorism-related charges as well. [node:read-more:link]
"We believe the victims were targeted because of their Islamic faith,” said London Police Chief after 4 pedestrians were run down and killed while walking on the sidewalk on Sunday evening. The victims, all related, ranged in age from 15 to 74. A 9-year old boy is in hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle was apprehended wearing a body armour vest. [node:read-more:link]
A U.S. federal judge has overturned California’s 32-year-old ban on assault weapons, calling it a “failed experiment” and fundamentally unconstitutional. Immediately criticized by the state government, the ruling was on a 2019 lawsuit file by a California resident and a political action committee. “Government is not free to impose its own new policy choices on American citizens where Constitutional rights are concerned,” Judge Roger Benitez wrote. [node:read-more:link]
The Supreme Court of Canada agreed today to review the sentencing of a man who shot six persons to death at a Quebec City mosque in 2017. Alexandre Bissonnette, who pled guilty to six counts each of first-degree murder and attempted murder in 2018, was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 40 years. Quebec’s appeal court ruled last November that he would be eligible to apply for parole after 25 years, saying that a Criminal Code provision for consecutive life sentences is unconstitutional. [node:read-more:link]
The Republican governor of Texas is preparing to sign off on a bill that will enable most residents to carry concealed handguns without a license, training or background checks. Texas already permits long-guns to be carried openly without a license. [node:read-more:link]
The District of Columbia and 20 states are challenging what they see as the easing of federal controls on “ghost guns”, untraceable firearms manufactured with 3D printing. President Donald Trump’s administration says that effective in March, the requisite software controlled by the Department of State’s through the U.S. Munitions List will become a Department of Commerce jurisdiction. [node:read-more:link]
