Western Australia will now have the “toughest gun laws in Australia” after a 15-year-old boy allegedly shot a weapon onto school property, causing a lockdown in Perth.
Following the arrest of a teenager who was accused of bringing two firearms to Atlantis Beach Baptist College in Two Rocks yesterday and firing multiple bullets, WA Premier Mark McGowan today committed to change the Firearms Act.
He referred to the events as “not a thing you expect to see happen in Australia” and made a commitment to “dramatic reform” to lower the state’s gun ownership rates.
The premier declared, “This is what you see on television in the United States.”
“We are enacting significant gun law reform as quickly as we can.”
According to him, the number of licenced firearms in the state has “increased in recent years” and there are currently 360,000 of them.
McGowan continued, “That’s way too many.”
“We need to stop ourselves from falling into the terrible abyss that America has fallen into.”
McGowan said that only those having “legitimate reasons” should hold licences, although he did not specify what improvements will be implemented.
Later this year, the reforms are anticipated to be put into effect.
“You never think this would happen here, in Western Australia, in Two Rocks of all places,” said McGowan.
“In my opinion, America’s problem is the proliferation of guns, and they don’t want to deal with it, but we’re going to deal with it,” said the speaker.
More than 200 mass shootings have taken place in the US so far in 2023 alone, including 23 school shootings that left victims injured or dead.
“If kids can get access to keys to access firearms, that’s not good enough,” said McGowan.
“They shouldn’t have access to any weapons at all.”
When they heard the fringe, students claimed they ran beneath their desks for cover.
The Atlantis Beach Baptist College staff has applauded the police’s handling of the event yesterday.
Although the alleged shooter’s motivation is still unknown, McGowan said the adolescent is still in police custody and that he is thought to be a former student.
He stated, “I’d like to applaud the staff and students on their bravery. They responded responsibly and with the utmost prudence.
“May I compliment them all on their actions from yesterday? It was undoubtedly horrific, and those who were involved will undoubtedly still be affected.
The police officers “who reacted very quickly” and “arrived on the scene to what could have been a very, very difficult situation” were also acknowledged by the premier.
He realised that not everyone would like the measures, but he insisted that despite opposition, he was still committed to lowering the quantity of guns in the state. ate.
We need to make sure there are less guns, he said, adding that some people will be very upset about it.
