Shooting Weapon 3D-Printed Gun, Difference Of Opinion On Arming Police Further

The gun that was used in yesterday’s shooting was, according to sources close to Vísir, created through 3D printing.

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Such firearms are illegal in Iceland, as they are in most part of the world. If the gun in question was a 3D-printed variety, it still may not have necessarily been made in Iceland, but could have been smuggled in.

While the police would not confirm this on the record, assistant police commissioner Margeir Sveinsson said that, contrary to previous reports, the gun that was used in the shooting was not a submachine gun. Police also believe that as investigations stand now, that this shooting was not the work of organised criminal activity but a conflict between two individuals.

This and last Thursday’s shooting have renewed discussions about further arming up police officers in Iceland. Icelandic patrol officers do not carry sidearms on their person, but usually do have a gun locked in a special box in their squad cars.

Speaking with radio programme Bítið on Bylgjan this morning, Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson said he is considering allowing police to carry tasers. That said, it is uncertain how a taser would have prevented either of these shootings from occurring, and previous efforts to give police tasers have failed in Parliament.

Speaking with RÚV, assistant police commission Runólfur Þórhallsson said that he sees no need to arm the police further.

“Amongst police officers polled, and as we know both the general public and the government, they are of the opinion that the regular police force does not need to be armed,” he said in part. “Although [these shootings] are a very serious case, we believe this still applies.”