Alleged gunman passed police vetting

Police are backing their firearms licensing process after an alleged gunman’s Christchurch mosque terror attacks.

Questions have been raised about how the man charged with the attacks obtained his licence, and specifically a classification that allowed him to buy semi-automatic weapons.

Police recovered five weapons after last week’s massacre in which 50 people were killed during Friday prayers at two mosques.

Police said in a statement yesterday they had made ‘‘extensive enquiries’’ into the process and, ‘‘based on the information available to us at this time’’, found correct process was followed by staff involved in the firearms licence application.

The shooting suspect had obtained an A-category firearms licence. Firearms held under an A-category licence can be easily converted into what’s called a military-style semiautomatic weapon, using unregulated parts.

In the days after the attack Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the gunman used five weapons, including two semi-automatic weapons, two shotguns, and a lever action firearm.

On Thursday, she announced sweeping changes to New Zealand’s gun laws, banning all military-style, semi-automatic guns and assault rifles.

Police said the accused filed an application for a firearms licence in September 2017 in Dunedin.

The vetting process was undertaken by a police firearms vetting officer in Dunedin, where the accused resided.

The accused initially listed a family member as one of his referees, but that person did not reside in New Zealand, the statement said.

Policy states a referee must be a resident of New Zealand, so new referees were requested.

‘‘The accused provided two further referees, who met the requirements of the process and were interviewed face-to-face by a police firearms vetting officer,’’ the statement said.

‘‘One of the steps to gaining a firearms licence is a home visit to meet the applicant in person and inspect the security of their property.’’

In October 2017, the accused was interviewed at his home address in Dunedin. A security inspection took place at the same time.

‘‘Following this, all the available information was reviewed and the licence was approved in November 2017,’’ the statement said.

Gun City owner David Tipple said the accused shooter bought guns and ammunition at his store, but was adamant the gun used in the shooting was not bought there.

A long-serving contracted vetter for Dunedin Police was approached for comment yesterday.

The man, who is understood to live in a similar part of the city to the alleged gunman, undertakes firearms vetting for police for that specific area of Dunedin. He told Stuff he was not allowed to comment.

Police statement