A large number of weapons are currently circulating in Belgium, in some cases without the required authorisations. Our colleagues at RTL.BE have looked into the matter further, focusing in particular on two cases.
A week ago, a father accidentally shot his two children in Dison, Belgium. The individual in question is currently in prison under the accusation of illegal weapon possession. In another instance, a retiree injured a thief with his unregistered gun in Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium.
With more than 780.000 guns in Belgium, questions arise as to how they are kept under control.
Individuals in possession of a weapon have to undergo certain procedures, including a theory and practical test. What’s also important, they are required to have a valid motive for owning a gun, such as hunting, sports shooting, or being a collector. Family relations are then also investigated, as well as secure gun possession at home.
Gilles Mahieu, governor of the Walloon Brabant, a province in Wallonia, specified that they look into whether the person in question still holds a valid sports shooting license and whether they still practice the sport on a regular basis, for instance. Another important factor is whether they are still in good enough shape to be a hunter.
Some weapons, on the other hand, are not officially declared. This is often the case when someone inherits a gun from a family member, or buys a weapon illegally online. In these cases, the police hunt down the person in question directly. When the police intervene to check in on individuals in possession of a weapon, they look for any suspicious, non-declared items, adds Mahieu.
In case of illegal weapon possession, the item in question can be seized immediately.
