Thorp, T M. 1997 ‘Principal Firearms Incidents.’ Review of Firearms Control in New Zealand; Appendix 3, pp. 250-253. Auckland: Government Printer. 30 June

Relevant contents

Mass shootings in New Zealand, 1990-1997:

1) 1990 - Aramoana (Gray)
Date: 13-14 November 1990
Number of Victims: 14 (including police shooting of Gray)
Firearms Used: .223 Norinco semi-automatic AK47 lookalike, .22 Remington S semi-automatic rifle
Licence Status: Licensed firearms holder for eight years
Mental History: No history of mental illness. The police were unable to find anyone who thought him capable of violent action. Considered a lonely, reclusive man.

2) 1992 - Paerata (Schlaepfer)
Date: 20 May 1992
Number of Victims: 6 plus suicide of Schlaepfer. 4 victims shot. 2 others died as a result of stab wounds
Firearms Used: Double-barrelled 12-gauge shotgun
Licence Status: Held a class A licence issued in 1984
Mental History: No previous history of mental illness nor of domestic violence.

3) 1994 - Dunedin (Bain)
Date: 20 June 1994
Number of Victims: 5
Firearms Used: .22 semi-automatic rifle
Licence Status: David Bain was a class A licensee and the owner of the firearm used in the homicide
Mental History: David Bain had no history of mental illness nor any previous convictions.

4) 1997 - Raurimu
Date: 8 February 1997
Number of Victims: 6
Firearms Used: 1 single-shot shotgun
Licence Status: Had held a licence which had been revoked the previous year

Comments:
In this instance a young man with a psychiatric history which had earlier resulted in the revocation of his firearms licence has been charged with killing his father and four guests at the family lodge, and a neighbour, using a single-shot shotgun. As he still awaits trial on those charges it would be improper to attempt any further analysis of the incident at this time.

ID: Q1195