Second deadly incident with army gun reported
Another deadly incident involving an army-issue gun has been reported only ten days after a man shot his girlfriend with his army assault rifle.
Police in canton Neuchâtel say the latest case occurred in someone’s home at the weekend when three people were handling guns.
An investigation is underway to establish the course of events and the origin of the ammunition.
Last February, Swiss voters rejected a proposal by an alliance of NGOs and centre-left political parties to ban army guns at home. However, most army members are not allowed to hold onto army-issue ammunition.
As part of Switzerland’s militia army tradition, men on active service keep their army-issue firearms. Estimates of the number of firearms in circulation in Switzerland range between 1.2 million and 2.3 million.
Army-issue weapons are said to be involved in the death of more than 300 people in Switzerland every year.
The authorities say they are examining ways to improve the exchange of information between the cantons and the army to prevent shootings with army guns.
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