New Zealand, which is estimated to have 1.5 million firearms in the country, last updated its guns laws more than 25 years ago, following the country’s last major mass shooting.
The shooting, which was conducted by a man with two military-style semi-automatic rifles and killed 13 people, caused the country to adopt an amendment to its gun laws in 1992 that regulated military-style semi-automatic firearms. The weapons now require a special permit registered with police.
The country allows individuals with a “lawful, proper, and sufficient purpose” to purchase guns for tasks such as hunting or sports shooting, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. But self-defense is not recognized as a proper reason to purchase a weapon in the country.
Gun owners in New Zealand are not required to register their guns, although New Zealand Police conduct background checks for applicants over the age of 16 to determine if someone is a “fit and proper person.” Those who have a history with violence or connections to criminals, among other things, could deter an individual from passing a background check.
Additionally, those interested in owning a gun must undergo a gun safety lecture and pass a test. Two people must also vouch for the applicant’s ability to carry a gun during the process.
On Friday, 49 fatalities were confirmed due to the recent shooting of two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Three men and one woman believed to be connected to the Friday morning shooting in New Zealand were arrested, and police continue to investigate the matter. One of the suspects is believed to have endorsed white nationalism.
New Zealand Police characterized the mass shooting as “unprecedented event for New Zealand.”
[Related: ‘This is not who we are’: New Zealand PM denounces mosque shooting]
