Gun laws to be tightened up

Weapons such as the semi-automatic gun used in the Alphen aan den Rijn shopping centre shooting will no longer be legal for the general public when the gun laws are tightened up, justice minister Ivo Opstelten told a television talk show on Sunday.


Opstelten did not give concrete details, because he is waiting for the official report into the Alphen shooting, which took place in April. Tristan van der Vlis, who was licenced to have five weapons and had a history of mental problems, shot dead six people and then turned a gun on himself.
During the programme, Opstelten said it is not necessary to have a gun which can hit a moving object in order to carry out target practice. Nor is it necessary to have guns at home.
The current way gun licences are given could also be up for reform, Opstelten said.

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