To ban crossbows & Military style knives in UK?

[StarryIsabella]

First time poster, long term reader!

So I've been following the horrific news today about the monster who killed his ex partner, her sister and mother yesterday in Enfield (London).

Louise Hunt- (25) Hannah Hunt- (28) Carol Hunt- (61)

Reports state that he used a crossbow and other weapons (mainly knives) apparently he killed them in quick succession all at once at their home yesterday.

It shocks me how someone can obtain a weapon like a crossbow that fires arrows rapidly with immense force that can easily break through bone and kill. It's literally a gun, it loads and fires to kill if that's your intention.

Does anyone think these kind of weapons should be banned? What purpose do they serve? If it does serve a purpose then at least install a licence to own one where they can do background checks and interview the person for their reasons to owning one.

Alas! Another woman who wanted to be independent was brutally murdered along other her sister and mother for it.

Just a quick edit: killings with crossbows have happened before in the UK

In 2010, 40-year-old Stephen Griffiths killed 3 women in Bradford that he didn't know. He later admitted he was obsessed with killers and had a hatred for women. All 3 women were complete strangers to him.

I get that. Like I said in my post, these men can and do use all
sorts of ways to harm and kill women but I still think there should be tighter controls on weapons that can cause as much damage as crossbow. Someone said upthread that a man near her was shooting birds with one. That’s horrifying. For the animals being shot at and dying horribly but also if he missed and injured or killed someone just walking along minding their own business? The general public need protecting from these absolute bastards.

It has happened before. Listen to radio 4 at 6:50am this morning on iPlayer and you’ll here about someone whose husband was killed in 2018 (I think) and the campaign to impose restrictions on cross bows.
And there was the ‘Cross Bow cannibal’ in Bradford a number of years ago.

We shouldn’t fall into the US gun rhetoric of ‘guns don’t kill people, people do’. I don’t however think crossbows should be banned, but they, and any instrument of weaponry should be highly regulated and listened in regard to ownership and use.

Given that the women were alive when the emergency services arrived, he did not ‘kill them in quick succession all at once’.

I wish we'd focus less on the method,and actually focus on the motives: there will always be methods available,so we need to challenge this evil response some men have to being told 'no'.

And this is why the US’s gun use is in crisis. I despair.

That’s one of the US National Rifle Association slogans, isn’t it? Not something we need over here.

There’s no need for anyone to have crossbows or Rambo knives or anything that’s clearly a weapon, and is used as a weapon. They should be illegal, except where used in sports and kept locked up in controlled conditions.

Of course killers can use kitchen knives, but that’s not the central purpose of a kitchen knife.

Even if these particular weapons had been banned, these women would still be dead.

Another horrific example of violence by men against women and girls that involved a man killing his pregnant ex wife with a crossbow.

amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/29/man-jailed-for-crossbow-of-pregnant-ex-wife-ilford-london

I agree. You have a chance with a lot of other weapons but this is effectively like a gun, a weapon that can be used at distance and for that reason alone, they should be banned outside of clubs etc.

Most of these total failed adults would not have the nouse to make one so there is always going to be a percentage chance of stopping a crime with a ban.

I’m interested to know whether those who think there’s no point banning crossbows also think there is no point banning guns? If so, I’m surprised because in my experience most Brits are happy that that we don’t have the same access to guns that the US has.

According to a lot of people on this thread I don’t know why we bother banning/ restricting any weapons seeing as though it apparently makes no difference. I imagine the stats around gun death would prove this wrong fairly easily mind.

No one needs a weapon that is capable of killing another person from a distance. Easy access to this weapon meant this horrific individual could murder three women without even working up a sweat. He didn’t have to get up close like he would with a knife, a rope or his bare hands. He didn’t actually have to acknowledge to himself what he was doing, he just had to push a button. Why anyone would want these things in general circulation is beyond me.

I think we can all agree that the fundamental structural issue at play is male misogyny and violence against women and girls - this must be tackled and we need to see action from this government, not just 'thoughts and prayers'.

I have for years worked with victims and survivors of abuse and yes of course the majority of them are injured with the man's hands and implements he can find around the home and banning these wouldn't stop that.

However, why would we make it easier for a man to hurt a woman. To implement regulations seems a common sense and relatively simple thing to do. It wouldn't stop those that have a legitimate reason for having one, possessing it as long as they met the stipulations, the same as gun ownership and would allow us to regulate the type of crossbows available. You could have prohibitions for example stopping anyone with previous arrests for violence offences or domestic abuse.

It has been done before, there was the crossbow killer in Bradford a few years ago…
they should be banned in my opinion.

As with so many other issues, it's one thing to ban something and quite another to stop people getting it, though admittedly a ban might make it a bit harder

It can also make weapons even more of a status symbol, and with the lack of will to tackle so many forms of lawbreaking I just wonder if a ban would have much point

Crossbow injuries to pets are on the rise.

It’s possible for 3 women to fight off someone with a knife. I don’t think you understand the power of a crossbow. They are designed to kill. They are much more powerful.

If I had to fight a bear I’d much prefer my odds with a crossbow than a knife.

I'd ban them.

Well said.

All of the items you mention are tools. They're only weapons when misused/abused. You drive a car every day, I assume. What's there to stop you from running people over with it? Apart from your conscience, obviously? What's there to stop a kitchen knife being used improperly? Absolutely anything can be a weapon, including your own body, if you use it in the wrong way. Banning things just makes the problem worse. Criminals don't stop committing crimes just because they can't access tools in the conventional way, they'll source them from elsewhere by other means.

@VolvoFan Do you think we should be allowed guns then? If not, why not?

You have to have a license to drive a vehicle. If you do it incorrectly your license gets taken away.

Holy shit this site 🙄 yes let's ban absolutely everything that could possibly be used to kill someone that includes kitchen knives so we'll all have to start cutting our steak with spoons.

That's what people want, it seems. Let them have it, I say.

Handguns were only outlawed in 1996/7 as a kneejerk reaction to Dunblane massacre, although I believe John Major had already laid the groundwork to criminalise them anyway.

Way back further than that, you used to be on first name terms with your beat bobby and you probably owned a revolver. If your beat bobby got into a spot of bother and needed a weapon, they'd knock on your door and ask to borrow your revolver. Now, police have CS gas, batons, tasers and if they are city police and patrol busy places like St. Pancras International Station, they'll have MP5s (which are lovely guns in my opinion).

I'm very pro-firearms and defence in general. An armed society is a polite society. Although I appreciate not everyone will agree.

There is no reason for the average person to have a crossbow or similar type of weapon. Like guns they should be properly restricted and licences for purchase.

Knives is trucker as we do have a need fi certain types of knives in our homes. But any that is designed for a purpose other than necessary activities like cooking, etc again need to be restricted.

Knife crime is a major issue in the country so something needs to happen . We can't just ignore it.