shooting Archives - Page 2 of 2

Guatemalan mayor Carlos Castillo Medrano shot dead

January 16, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The mayor of the eastern Guatemalan town of Jutiapa has been shot dead as he waited to have his hair cut at a barber’s.

Witnesses say Carlos Enrique Castillo Medrano, 39, was killed by two unidentified men who shot at him six times before escaping on a motorbike.

His death came as President Otto Perez Molina addressed the nation to mark his first year in office and hailed “a historic decline in violence”.

Murders were down by some 10%, he said.

“We have had 526 fewer homicides in 2012 than in the previous year,” said Mr Perez Molina in his state-of-the-nation address.

According to government figures, there were 5,174 violent deaths in Guatemala in 2012.

The president also highlighted a reduction in other crimes.

US shoots down Death Star superlaser petition

January 16, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The White House has rejected a petition to build a Death Star – a huge battle-station armed with a superlaser as seen in the Star Wars films.

In a playful response, a senior US government official said the Obama administration “does not support blowing up planets”.

The official also said the cost – about $850 quadrillion – was too high.

More than 34,000 people had signed the petition, saying the project would spur job creation and strengthen defence.

They also wanted the government to begin construction by 2016.

The White House is obliged to respond to all petitions that gain more than 25,000 signatures.

Can an emboldened President Obama address gun control?

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

I am in London as I follow news of this terrible slaughter. The president is so right – every parent will feel this tragedy deep in their hearts.

But politics is never far away.

Only hours before, I had been explaining to British friends that most people in the UK just did not get the American attitude towards guns, with many regarding it as a sort of crazy aberration.

But it is just different.

Americans believe they have a right to own guns, not just for sport or hunting but for self defence. That right is embodied in their most revered political document, the constitution.

Guns are much more a part of every day life than they are in the UK. That is why some insist that they should even be allowed to own weapons which are designed for no other purpose than to kill a lot of people, quickly.

Gabrielle Giffords launches gun control campaign

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A former US congresswoman who survived a gunshot wound to her head during a mass shooting has launched a campaign against gun violence.

Gabrielle Giffords’ Americans for Responsible Solutions initiative aims to raise money for gun control efforts.

It comes as the White House holds talks with groups representing gun-owners, victims and the video game industry.

A school shooting in December that killed 20 children and six adults has fuelled debate over gun violence.

Ms Giffords and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly – both gun owners – wrote in USA Today on Tuesday: “In response to a horrific series of shootings… Congress has done something quite extraordinary – nothing at all.”

The couple also highlight the influence of the gun lobby, adding: “Achieving reforms to reduce gun violence and prevent mass shootings will mean matching gun lobbyists in their reach and resources.”

Indian troops shot dead near Kashmir’s Line of Control

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Two Indian soldiers have been shot dead in the disputed Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, officials say.

The Indian army said a patrol was attacked by Pakistani soldiers in “a grave provocation” near the so-called Line of Control.

Pakistan denied the accusation. The deaths came two days after a Pakistani soldier was killed near the LoC.

Kashmir is claimed by both nations in its entirety and has been a flashpoint between them for more than 60 years.

Tuesday’s shootings took place near Mendhar, 220 km (140 miles) north of the Indian city of Jammu, Indian officials said.