Concerns over rise in gun violence

File photo.

Police say the issue of gun violence is not just confined to a single region.

There is concern in Auckland about an increase in shootings.

In the latest, a homicide investigation was launched after an armed standoff at a house in the suburb of Flat Bush.

And two people are on the run after a fatal shooting in Mt Roskill on Thursday.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff has says he raised the issue of the city's gun violence with Police Minister Poto Williams.

Goff says the number of gun crimes in the region was undermining its residents' right to feel safe.

In a statement, Assistant Police Commissioner Sandra Venables says police have no tolerance for gun violence in the community and significant arrests had been made in relation to gang tensions.

"Police has been very open this year around some of the behaviours from organised crime groups using firearms against one another and we also note significant arrests have been made in relation to these gang tensions," she said.

"Police have also seen excellent results following the launch of Operation Tauwhiro. As of September, 987 firearms had been seized, nearly $5 million in cash seized and 865 arrests made."

She says the eyes and ears of people in the community could provide important help and she was encouraging people to report suspicious or illegal activity.

"The issue of firearms within our communities is not just confined to a single region. Police are generally concerned at the prevalence of firearms being used within certain groups in our society."

There has been a 49 percent increase in injuries recorded as a result of firearms crime in Auckland city over the past year and a half, compared with the two years previous.

The rates of gun crime in 2020 were the highest ever.

-RNZ.

4 comments

Actual

Posted on 27-12-2021 19:09 | By DaveTheCynic

statistics from the police website don't back up the claims made in the article.


Not only gun crime

Posted on 27-12-2021 20:19 | By Drgolf

It seems that violent crime is also on the rise. It seems that this country’s very old laws don’t do anything. How about the government updates the laws so life means life. Not a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket. The people who commit these crimes should not be allowed back in the community.


Law abiding citizens.

Posted on 28-12-2021 05:42 | By Lyrch

Wasn’t Jacinda’s recent crackdown on law abiding NZ gun license owners supposed to reduce the gun crime in this country?! Guess the criminals didn’t get the message, maybe it’s time yet again, for another aggressive campaign against these law abiding NZ gun license holders to really show how serious Jacinda is on gun crime?!


If 49% increase is true...

Posted on 28-12-2021 15:51 | By morepork

...it requires immediate action. ANY crime where a gun is produced (whether it is fired or not) should mandate jail. There is a tendency for the public to "accept" that gangs have armed warfare, and not care about, it as long as they are not involved. We need to change that. Levels of stress and tension are rising in the community thanks to Covid; adding guns to that mix is a recipe for disaster and it needs to be stamped on, and SEEN to be stamped on.


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