(=_=)
2014-12-30 20:47:20 UTC
And it's worth noting where 'about half' of them are coming from.
Time for some enhanced gun ownership legislation, Harper?
________________________________________
Jordan Press, Postmedia News | December 30, 2014
Increasing number of firearms on Ottawa streets due to influx of illegal guns
from the U.S., police say
Handguns smuggled from the eastern seaboard of the United States, funnelled
through border crossings in eastern Ontario, have contributed to an increasing
number of firearms on Ottawa’s streets, police say.
Those firearms, some of which come from states such as Virginia and Florida,
have wound up more often in the hands of Ottawa gang members who have been
involved in shootings twice in the last three days. Those incidents — one on
Boxing Day at Tanger Outlets mall in Kanata, another downtown at Bank and
Slater streets early Monday morning — helped the capital set a record for
annual shootings, 48 in 2014.
Tackling that growing problem has shown up in arrests, raids and seizures in
the past few months.
For instance, in mid-December Ottawa police laid 254 charges against 27 people,
seized seven firearms and more than 400 rounds of ammunition as part of a
six-month investigation into brazen gun violence in the capital.
For criminals, if they want to find a gun, they are more than available on the
street for the right price.
“There are more guns out there,” said Ottawa police Det. Chris O’Brien, who
works on the force’s guns and gangs unit.
“The trend in the last 10 years is there has been an increase in the number of
guns on the street.”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
About half of all guns seized by Ottawa police are locally sourced, meaning
they have likely been stolen during robberies from local gun owners or dealers.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In the past, weapons moved between Montreal and Ottawa, with some Montrealers
renting out guns to gang members in Ottawa.
The other half of seized weapons are “foreign-sourced,” meaning they are
smuggled across the border.
According to the most recent data from the Ontario Provincial Police,
foreign-sourced guns made up the majority of “crime guns” seized by officers.
The 2011 numbers showed that 60 per cent of guns used in crimes were smuggled
across the U.S. border, 20 per cent were locally sourced, while the remaining
20 per cent couldn’t be traced.
Ottawa’s foreign-sourced guns usually arrive from American states such as
Florida, Virginia or Georgia, said O’Brien. They don’t usually come from New
York State given that state’s stricter gun laws, he said.
Often, their point of entry is around Cornwall, including the Akwesasne Mohawk
Territory, O’Brien said.
The Canada Border Services Agency in the past year has increased its focus on
stopping firearms from illegally entering the country: The agency’s most recent
annual performance report noted that the number of CBSA-led firearm
prosecutions more than doubled in the past fiscal year from the average of the
preceding three years.
It is often handguns that gang members use when they open fire, but they are
not cheap. A handgun that sells in the U.S. for about $75 can sell on the
black market in Canada for $1,500 to $3,000 for a more expensive handgun such
as a nine millimetre, but the price also based on who is buying and who is selling.
Handguns, however, have become required equipment for gang members to protect
their turf or expand their holdings. Once one drug dealer or gang members
starts carrying a weapon, others do the same so they don’t cede power to
others, O’Brien said.
The weapons of choice in Ottawa are nine-millimetre and .40-calibre handguns,
the latter of which was used in the Boxing Day shooting at Tangers Outlets
between rival members of the Crips gang.
_____________________________________
Remembering that the 'Parliament Hill shooter' used a long gun - a Winchester
.30-30 calibre rifle - which hunters use in Canada. . . .
_____________
Friedman adds that the fact Zehaf-Bibeau had no fixed address was in itself
enough to bar him from a firearms licence.
It all means that Zehaf-Bibeau must have obtained his rifle either by stealing
it, buying it on the black market, or been given the rifle, either by someone
unaware of his motives or an accomplice.
It may be that last possibility that explains why police are so focused on
tracking the weapon's history.
Time for some enhanced gun ownership legislation, Harper?
________________________________________
Jordan Press, Postmedia News | December 30, 2014
Increasing number of firearms on Ottawa streets due to influx of illegal guns
from the U.S., police say
Handguns smuggled from the eastern seaboard of the United States, funnelled
through border crossings in eastern Ontario, have contributed to an increasing
number of firearms on Ottawa’s streets, police say.
Those firearms, some of which come from states such as Virginia and Florida,
have wound up more often in the hands of Ottawa gang members who have been
involved in shootings twice in the last three days. Those incidents — one on
Boxing Day at Tanger Outlets mall in Kanata, another downtown at Bank and
Slater streets early Monday morning — helped the capital set a record for
annual shootings, 48 in 2014.
Tackling that growing problem has shown up in arrests, raids and seizures in
the past few months.
For instance, in mid-December Ottawa police laid 254 charges against 27 people,
seized seven firearms and more than 400 rounds of ammunition as part of a
six-month investigation into brazen gun violence in the capital.
For criminals, if they want to find a gun, they are more than available on the
street for the right price.
“There are more guns out there,” said Ottawa police Det. Chris O’Brien, who
works on the force’s guns and gangs unit.
“The trend in the last 10 years is there has been an increase in the number of
guns on the street.”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
About half of all guns seized by Ottawa police are locally sourced, meaning
they have likely been stolen during robberies from local gun owners or dealers.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In the past, weapons moved between Montreal and Ottawa, with some Montrealers
renting out guns to gang members in Ottawa.
The other half of seized weapons are “foreign-sourced,” meaning they are
smuggled across the border.
According to the most recent data from the Ontario Provincial Police,
foreign-sourced guns made up the majority of “crime guns” seized by officers.
The 2011 numbers showed that 60 per cent of guns used in crimes were smuggled
across the U.S. border, 20 per cent were locally sourced, while the remaining
20 per cent couldn’t be traced.
Ottawa’s foreign-sourced guns usually arrive from American states such as
Florida, Virginia or Georgia, said O’Brien. They don’t usually come from New
York State given that state’s stricter gun laws, he said.
Often, their point of entry is around Cornwall, including the Akwesasne Mohawk
Territory, O’Brien said.
The Canada Border Services Agency in the past year has increased its focus on
stopping firearms from illegally entering the country: The agency’s most recent
annual performance report noted that the number of CBSA-led firearm
prosecutions more than doubled in the past fiscal year from the average of the
preceding three years.
It is often handguns that gang members use when they open fire, but they are
not cheap. A handgun that sells in the U.S. for about $75 can sell on the
black market in Canada for $1,500 to $3,000 for a more expensive handgun such
as a nine millimetre, but the price also based on who is buying and who is selling.
Handguns, however, have become required equipment for gang members to protect
their turf or expand their holdings. Once one drug dealer or gang members
starts carrying a weapon, others do the same so they don’t cede power to
others, O’Brien said.
The weapons of choice in Ottawa are nine-millimetre and .40-calibre handguns,
the latter of which was used in the Boxing Day shooting at Tangers Outlets
between rival members of the Crips gang.
_____________________________________
Remembering that the 'Parliament Hill shooter' used a long gun - a Winchester
.30-30 calibre rifle - which hunters use in Canada. . . .
_____________
Friedman adds that the fact Zehaf-Bibeau had no fixed address was in itself
enough to bar him from a firearms licence.
It all means that Zehaf-Bibeau must have obtained his rifle either by stealing
it, buying it on the black market, or been given the rifle, either by someone
unaware of his motives or an accomplice.
It may be that last possibility that explains why police are so focused on
tracking the weapon's history.