According to the police, about 250,000 people in the country own an estimated 1.2 million to 1.5 million firearms. “We’re relying entirely on the honesty of the gun owner to turn it in.”Ms. Ardern said that fair compensation would be paid to all those who participate. The suspect in the shootings, Brenton H. Tarrant, 28, was a licensed gun owner and member of a local gun club. An official with one gun retailer said his company had sold Mr. Tarrant four firearms along with ammunition between December 2017 — a month after Mr. Tarrant received his gun license — and March 2018. The authorities say that five guns acquired legally, including two semiautomatic assault weapons, were used in the assault.

Source: New York Times March 21, 2019 02:32 UTC