After a mass shoot at a mosque in Christchurch that claimed the lives of 51 people and injured 49, New Zealand acted immediately on “the worst domestic attack in modern history.”
“Within days, lawmakers vow to take decisive action. Legislation is drafted to ban nearly all semi-automatic weapons. High capacity magazines are prohibited. A gun buyback program is announced. These measures receive widespread, bipartisan support, and are signed into law less than a month after the attack.”
The voluntary, gun buyback program allows gun owners to “trade in their firearms in exchange for cash at up to 95% of the value of their gun. They included an amnesty clause as well, meaning anyone with a gun obtained illegally could also turn it in without legal repercussions.”
Just one month into the program, New Zealand has removed more than 10K guns. The country plans to hold at least 150 more events between now and December, “when it officially becomes illegal to possess semi-automatic guns, high capacity magazines, and other newly banned weapons.”
