Skip to content
Skip to content
News
The article is more than 11 years old
Weapons For Sports, Hunting and Other Hobbies

Legal weapons used in every second gun killing

Almost half  of firearms used in homicides in Finland are legally licensed. Firearms were the weapon in 17 percent of homicides during the 2003-2011 period.

Kuvassa ns. armovuosilakiin perustuvan asekeräyksen satoa Kokkolan poliisilaitoksella: kivääri, revolveri ja konepistooli.
Image: Helena Mehtälä / Yle

In 45 percent of homicides in which a gun was used, the weapon was licensed and legally held. In killings where a hunting weapon was used, 52 percent of the weapons were legal.

The figures are based on statistics from the National Research Institute of Legal Policy covering 1,091 homicides between 2003 and 2011.

There are around 1.6 million legally licensed firearms in Finland.

Sources: Yle