Fed: Gun killings likely to be pre meditated study

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2000
Fed: Gun killings likely to be pre meditated study

New research shows many gun killings in Australia are likely to be premeditated rather
than mere outbursts of passion.

Australian National University academic DAVID MCDONALD has found killers plan their
gun murders to a much greater extent than previously thought.

After studying 200 cases of Australian gun deaths, Mr MCDONALD was surprised by the
frequency of highly planned deaths.

Official figures show that murders by strangers account for only 15 per cent of Australian
killings.

One third of people were killed by a family member and a further third were murdered
by someone they knew.

Mr MCDONALD says his study focused on gun violence as a major public health problem in Australia.

He says next week's fourth anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre serves to highlight
the need for greater regulation of gun-use.

Mr MCDONALD says guns were subject to fewer controls than many household appliances.

AAP RTV daw/mfh/gmw/jn r

KEYWORD: GUNS (CANBERRA)

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